Object

Representation ID: 9993

Received: 27/07/2022

Respondent: Home Builders Federation

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Parts of this policy are unsound as they are unjustified.
25. This policy sets out that affordable housing will be required from all C3 developments for specialist accommodation despite the Viability Study stating in paragraph 6.25 that the viability of such schemes can be challenging except on sites with high sales values and lower existing use values. However, it is notable that the testing in appendix 5 indicates that even on lower value greenfield sites older people’s housing is not viable with a 30% affordable housing contribution and all the other costs arising from policies in the local plan. Therefore, to require contributions from such schemes is not justified by the Council’s evidence.
26. With regard to accessible housing the Council will need to provide clarity as to the category 3 requirements as these are split into two separate categories – wheel chair adaptable and wheelchair accessible – with paragraph 56-010 stating that wheelchair accessible homes can only be required where the council is responsible for nominating the person who lives in that house. The Council should therefore make it clear that for market housing the Council can only requires homes to be built to the wheelchair adaptable optional technical standard.