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Cabinet received report ES/1127 by the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning and Coastal Management, who reported that East Suffolk had two Local Plans: the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan and Waveney Local Plan, both of which contained planning policies relating to the delivery of affordable housing, either as a requirement on residential developments or as standalone developments in their own right.
The Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) had been developed to support the implementation of these policies relating to affordable housing in the Local Plans, as well as to be consistent with Government policy contained in the National Planning Policy Framework and in Planning Practice Guidance.
Once adopted, Councillor Ritchie explained, the new SPD would replace the current guidance contained in Supplementary Planning Guidance 2: Affordable Housing (adopted in July 2004); this applied to the former Suffolk Coastal area and in the Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (adopted in May 2012) (this applied to the former Waveney local planning authority area). These existing guidance documents were considered to be out of date in places in relation to adopted Local Plan policies and current Government policy contained within the National Planning Policy Framework and associated national Planning Practice Guidance. In May 2021 the Government also issued new Planning Practice Guidance on a new type of affordable housing, First Homes, and the Council published a First Homes Position Statement setting out that it intended to provide guidance on implementation of the First Homes policy as part of the Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document.
The preparation of the new SPD, Councillor Ritchie reported, had been undertaken through an officer steering group and had involved officers from Planning Policy and Delivery, Housing, Development Management, Section 106 officers and Legal Services, and had also been overseen by the Local Plan Working Group.
An initial consultation to inform the scope and content of the SPD was carried out between 9 November and 21 December 2020. In total, 194 comments were received from 22 individuals and organisations. Virtual roundtable sessions were also held to inform the preparation of Model Heads of Terms and Template Clauses for legal agreements relating to affordable housing. The responses informed preparation of a draft document.
The consultation on the draft SPD was carried out between 1 November and 13 December 2021. In total, ESC received 111 comments from 27 individuals and organisations. Various changes had been made to the SPD to address the comments received.
The Affordable Housing SPD provided guidance on a range of topics including in relation to types of affordable housing, identifying an appropriate mix of affordable housing, the design of affordable housing, legal agreements, vacant buildings credit and carrying out local housing needs assessments. The SPD also incorporated model Heads of Terms and Template Clauses for legal agreements relating to affordable housing. Guidance on First Homes is incorporated into the SPD.
The Affordable Housing SPD, Councillor Ritchie reported, did not create new policies but rather sought to provide guidance that would help with the implementation of relevant policies in the Suffolk Coastal and Waveney Local Plans.
On adoption the Affordable Housing SPD would be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.
The Leader highlighted the consultation process, as referred to by Councillor Ritchie, and Cabinet supported the approach of changes being made as a result of that.
Councillor Byatt gave thanks for the report and he too welcomed the consultation process; he welcomed that the SPD would be in place for material purposes for Planners.
On the proposition of Councillor Ritchie, seconded by Councillor Brooks, it was by unanimous vote
RESOLVED
1. That the Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document be approved.
2. That the Head of Planning and Coastal Management, in consultation with the
Cabinet Member with responsibility for Planning and Coastal Management, be authorised to make any
presentational or typographical amendments to the Affordable Housing
Supplementary Planning Document prior to it being published.