Council updates planning policies for housing
Shropshire Council has taken further action to support housing development in the county. The Council’s Cabinet has adopted an updated Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on the type and affordability of housing, which is designed to help house building where it is appropriate.
The reviewed SPD supports self-build in Shropshire, and fine-tunes the operation of Shropshire’s nationally-acclaimed “build your own affordable home” scheme. Over 75 rural affordable homes have been built under the scheme, with another 160 in the pipeline. This innovative self-help scheme is designed to support community sustainability, by enabling local people to remain in the rural area.
Community-led affordable housing is specifically supported in the SPD, with support available through the housing enabling team for communities who are interested in pursuing their own project. Communities can also influence how developer contributions to affordable housing are spent in their area, through the Place Plan process.
The SPD also introduces a new affordable housing tenure of interest to rural estates and others who provide affordable rented properties, to encourage the provision of discounted rented housing.
The reviewed SPD will help builders, particularly small-scale builders, by allowing a longer period in which to pay their affordable housing contribution. The measure creates a ‘win-win’ situation, easing their cash flow while maintaining affordable housing contributions.
Shropshire Council planners will continue to keep a close eye on the viability of development, to ensure the balance between enabling market development and providing affordable housing is carefully considered and sensitive to the state of the economy.
New guidance is included on the conversion of rural buildings to housing, and the SPD also updates the approach to agricultural workers’ dwellings in the light of the National Planning Policy Framework.
Mal Price, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for economic growth and prosperity, said:
“We have listened to the problems that people encounter in relation to housing development. The updated SPD reflects some sensible suggestions on how planning policies can help Shropshire’s needs, and are part of our ongoing approach to managing development in the county.”
The Housing SPD Review 2012 is available by clicking this link. Copies can also be requested by calling 0345 678 9004 or emailing planning.policy@shropshire.gov.uk.
