In this chapter

• Introduction to development management policy
• Housing
  • Policy H/AH: Affordable housing
  • Policy H/RS: Affordable housing regeneration schemes
  • Policy H/RES: Rural exception sites
  • Policy H/EC: Affordable housing requirements within older person and specialist housing (including Extra Care)
  • Policy H/SH: Specialist housing and homes for older people design
  • Policy H/AS: Accessible homes and residential space standards
  • Policy H/HM: Housing mix
  • Policy H/BtR: Build to rent developments
    • Policy H/BtR: Location of Build-to-rent schemes
    • Policy H/Btr: Affordable private rent discount in build-to-rent schemes
    • Policy H/BtR: Affordable private rent homes required in each Build-to-rent development
  • Policy H/CL: Co-living schemes
  • Policy H/PBSA: Purpose built student accommodation
  • Policy H/SBCHB: Self-build and custom housebuilding
  • Policy H/GT: Gypsies, travellers and travelling show people
  • Policy H/M: Moorings
• Climate change
• Nature and ecosystem services
• Green Belt
• Jobs and economy
• Healthy, vibrant and inclusive communities
• Heritage and design
• Sustainable transport
• Pollution, contamination and safety
• Minerals and waste
• Waste
• Infrastructure

Policy H/Btr: Affordable private rent discount in build-to-rent schemes

Please read these options together with the policy for Build to rent developments

About this page

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.

Explore the policy

Select a section below to read more.

Policy background

9.77 National policy states that affordable private rent should be set at a level that is at least 20% less than the private market rent (inclusive of service charges) for the same or equivalent property. Visit our library of Local Plan Options supporting documents to learn more.

9.78 Evidence set out in the Housing Topic Paper shows that the 20% discount set out in the NPPF does not provide an affordable level of rent in B&NES. To address this, the following options are proposed:

Policy options for the new Local Plan

Option A

Affordable Private Rent provided at a level that is equivalent to or below Local Housing Allowance for the relevant sized property (inclusive of service charges).

Advantages of Option A

APR will be at level of LHA and therefore genuinely affordable in Bath and North East Somerset.

Disadvantages of Option A

Potential for reduced numbers of affordable units provided due to requirement for lower APR levels.

Option B

Affordable Private Rent provided at a level that is at least 20% less than the private market rent (inclusive of service charges) for the same or equivalent property.

Advantages of Option B

Potential for increased number of APR homes provided compared to option 1, due to higher APR levels.

Disadvantages of Option B

• Reliant on planning application determination process to seek higher than 20% discount to meet affordability required in Bath and North East Somerset.
• Unlikely to meet LHA levels