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How this part of the Local Plan Options Document works
These Development Management policy option pages contain the following sections:
Policy background
- Relevant national policy or regulations
- National or regional trends
- Local situation and needs/li>
- How we have dealt with this issue in the past
- The thinking behind the policy
Policy options for the new Local Plan
We may suggest a variety of approaches:
- Keeping existing policy as it is
- Making small changes
- Replacing the policy with something that is substantially different
- Identifying factors or events which may affect this policy in the future
Policy option analysis
- A list of the advantages and disadvantages that we have identified for each of the policy options we are presenting.
Read the Housing topic paper and Local Housing Need Assessment (LHNA) for in-depth focus about this topic, and the evidence which informs our policy. Visit our library of Local Plan Options supporting documents to learn more.
Explore the policy
Select a section below to read more.
9.5 Paragraph 63 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF December 2023) requires local authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect the results of this assessment in their planning policies.
9.6 The LHNA sets out an affordable housing requirement of 77% of overall housing need within Bath City and 31% within the rest of Bath and North East Somerset. On large sites (or major applications) providing at least 10 dwellings a proportion of the homes delivered will be required to be affordable housing of various tenures, including social rent and low cost home ownership.
9.7 Whilst the evidence in the LHNA sets out the affordable housing need within the district and the split between social rent and low cost home ownership, this evidence will need to be viability tested (alongside other Local Plan policy requirements) to inform the proportion of affordable housing to be required on qualifying sites. The Local Plan viability assessment will be undertaken to inform the Regulation 19 Draft Local Plan and is likely to strongly influence the proportion of affordable housing that will be sought on qualifying sites, particularly in Bath. Therefore, at this Options stage the proportion of affordable housing to be required is not established, nor the tenure split. Both will be set out in the Regulation 19 Draft Local Plan.
Proposed approach
Affordable Housing will be required as on-site provision in developments of 10 dwellings* and above (0.5ha and above) in line with percentages set out in the LHNA and as tested through the Local Plan viability (whole plan) assessment. It is also proposed this will be on a grant free basis.
*Note: the term dwellings is not confined to C3 use class but comprises all residential accommodation that provides a dwelling for a household. Some forms of dwellings are subject to separate Affordable Housing policy options (for example, Co-living schemes and Build to Rent developments).
9.9 The proposed Affordable Housing policy approach will also take forward current policy as relates to sub-division and phasing and other design elements, affordability in perpetuity and that any sales or staircasing affecting affordable housing delivered through Affordable Housing policy will be made to recycle the receipts/subsidy for the provision of new alternative affordable housing located elsewhere within Bath and North East Somerset. Property size and mix will be guided by the LHNA and other local housing requirements. The policy will also include delivery mechanisms and include our current approach to vacant building credit.