Shropshire Council clarifies affordable housing requirements at Dutton Close

Shropshire Council is aware there is some misunderstanding regarding the restrictions around the previously affordable homes on the Dutton Close development in Stoke Heath.

The Section 106 agreement did not restrict all homes at Dutton Close to sale or rent only to local Shropshire families. It required three of the 25 homes within the development to be provided as affordable housing as a planning policy requirement on larger housing developments, with the remaining market properties being available for general sale as with all market schemes.  

Affordable housing status should not be confused with a requirement that homes can only be occupied by local residents, they are affordable dwellings to be allocated to eligible households.

The proposed removal of that affordable housing requirement by the developer and subsequent approval following a full review of the evidence provided, demonstrated that the three properties could no longer be delivered as affordable homes under the Section 106 agreement. This approach is consistent with that taken in relation to other similar requests received by the council.  It does not amount to the council removing a condition that previously reserved all of the properties, or the development as a whole, for Shropshire residents.