Developer Contributions SPD - Huntingdonshire District Council

Affordable Housing A:Huntingdonshire LDF | Developer Contributions Supplementary Planning DocumentType and threshold for size of development for which contributions are appropriate:A.10 New housing developments within the District will trigger a need for affordable housing. The Core StrategyPolicy CS4 states that affordable housing obligations will apply to residential developments of 15 or moredwellings / 0.5 hectares (1.24 acres) irrespective of the number of dwellings, or in smaller rural settlements3 or more dwellings / 0.1 hectares (0.25 acres).Form in which contributions should be made:A.11 Contributions will be required in a number of forms as outlined below, taking into account specific siterequirements.Provision RequiredThe District Council will seek to achieve 40% affordable homes (calculated to the nearest wholenumber) where the thresholds above are met.The mix in terms of property types will be provided by the Council’s Housing Policy and EnablingOfficer who will assess need by reference data such as the Council’s Housing Register (includingspecial needs), information held by the Homebuy Agent, the SHMA, and specialist providers ofspecial needs housing. Units will be required to be distributed throughout the proposed developmentarea; small clusters comprising not more that 15 units should be provided. Design Standards shallbe as dictated by the Homes and Communities Agency regardless of whether Social Housing Granthas been secured.The Council's forthcoming Affordable Housing Advice Note will seek to clarify the Council's approachto the negotiation of affordable housing.The District Council takes the view that costs incurred in delivering a workable, high qualitydevelopment are to be expected and should be reflected in the price paid for the land. These factorswill, therefore, not normally reduce the ability of a site to contribute towards affordable housingprovision.Expected costs will include site clearance, good quality design measures, landscaping, noise andother environmental attenuation measures, and appropriate infrastructure provision (which mayinclude highway and public transport measures). Developers will be required to demonstrate anyabnormal development costs at the earliest possible stage, in order that their impact on the viabilityof a scheme may be assessed. (see also paragraphs 4.22 to 4.31).As a minimum, developers will be expected to provide serviced free land for the affordable housing.A.12 Affordable housing units should be provided via a Registered Provider (RP) at a cost that enables the RPto deliver the necessary mix and tenure of units. Given the overwhelming need to provide affordablehousing it will only be in very exceptional circumstances that a capital contribution/commuted sum maybe acceptable in lieu of on-site provision. The minimum sum paid will be equivalent to the market valueof the land assuming private development, that would otherwise have been required to provide affordablehousing. The council will appoint a suitably qualified surveyor to assess the value and developers wouldbe require to meet the costs of this.A.13 The provision of affordable housing has been incorporated into the viability testing undertaken during theproduction of the Draft Community Infrastructure Levy Charge and, as such, viability is not likely to be ageneral consideration. The viability testing assumes that no grant will be provided. However, if anexceptional circumstance does arise whereby a developer wishes the Council to reconsider the requiredcontributions due to the impact on the viability of the scheme, the developer will need to submit a writtenrequest to the Local Planning Authority as outlined at paragraph 4.27.19