Object
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19553
Received: 25/02/2009
Respondent: Trustees of the Glyndebourne 1991 L & P Trust
Agent: Mr. Dale Mayhew
Core Strategy obliged to be in broad conformity with the emerging SE Plan, as it represents a higher tier part of Development Plan. This sets out a requirement at Policy H4, that LDFs should set targets for the provision of affordable housing, having regard to the overall regional target that 25% of all new housing should be social rented accommodation and 10% other forms of AH. The existing LP exceeds this target, and relies on justification of the disparity of average income to average house price.
Nonetheless, a further increase within the rural parishes to 50% would represent a significant departure from draft Policy H4, placing the policy in conflict with a higher tier Development Plan policy.
Any increase above existing LP level is likely to jeopardise the viability of delivering local market housing, due to the increased burden of providing high numbers of affordable housing units. A lack of viability could stem the
flow of new housing, resulting in the failure of the District to meet its annualised housing target figures. This would likely worsen the affordability gap that increase in the percentage seeks to address. Would therefore be counterproductive.
This concern particularly acute on mixed use sites as residential element may be required as the mechanism to enable the viability of mixed use schemes. Given this, there should be no increase in the rural area percentage beyond current Local Plan policy.
Furthermore, the Council acknowledges that it has a Rural Exception Sites Project, which is specifically designed to tackle the problem of the lack of affordable rural housing. This concept is specifically provided for in PPS3 as the
mechanism for delivering requisite affordable housing in rural communities. Should the district consider that it needs a greater delivery of affordable housing in rural areas, it should utilities a Rural Exceptions Policy to increase delivery.