The Affordable Housing SPD outlines Leeds City Council’s proposed requirements for the provision of affordable housing on planning applications submitted for residential development.
The SPD, once formally adopted, will replace the existing Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on Affordable Housing, ie. the proposals in the SPD will not apply until the plan is formally adopted. The existing informal housing policy and supplementary planning guidance remain until then.
Earlier considerations
The Initial Issues Report explained the work that has been done to date, the draft timetable for the SPD and what issues the SPD will cover.
Current Consultation on the Draft Plan
As part of the Local Development Framework (LDF), Leeds City Council undertook formal consultation on the Draft Affordable Housing SPD and accompanying Sustainability Appraisal.
The Sustainability Appraisal has assessed the Draft SPD against environmental, social and economic effects which would result from applying the SPD.
The public consultation closed on 7th November 2008.
Viability Testing
The Council is currently considering all representations made during the consultation. We received several comments on the Report of Viability Testing, which was produced as evidence to support the proposed affordable housing targets and threshold. However, the production of the Draft SPD and viability testing were carried out prior to the current downturn in the housing market. Government guidance requires that ‘an informed assessment of the economic viability of any thresholds and proportions of affordable housing proposed is carried out’ (PPS3 Housing, November 2006).
We have therefore decided to carry out further work on the viability testing to ensure that the evidence is robust. We are going to re-do the viability modelling and will test the current market conditions and those under more ‘normal’ market conditions.
We are therefore consulting on a set of assumptions that are proposed to be included within the remodelling exercise. The assumptions can be viewed here. If you are interested in commenting on the assumptions that will go into the modelling please submit your comments to ldf@leeds.gov.uk by Friday 27th March.
See:
- Viability remodelling assumptions
- Housing areas map - showing boundaries
What happens next
Once the viability modelling has been carried out, it is likely that we will redraft the SPD accordingly and go out for a further period of public consultation. Due to this, adoption of a final SPD is not likely to be before Summer 2009.
Documents available on this page
- Draft SPD
- Sustainability appraisal
- Report on viability testing - SPD supporting document
- Statement of SPD matters
- Comments form - for reference purposes only
Do you need further information
If you need any more information please contact either: