Agenda item
Affordable housing position statement
Planning Committee considered an Affordable Housing Update report on 23rd July 2015. The Brent Affordable Housing Position Statement is considered to reflect a suitable response to the Committee’s resolution and seeks to address the main priorities indicated by the Committee in the wide ranging discussion that occurred in relation to the agenda item.
An appendix setting out the position statement is attached to the report.
Minutes:
Members considered a report on Brent Affordable Housing Position Statement which was in response to the Committee’s resolution on 23 July 2015 when members considered the report providing an Affordable Housing Update. The position statement also sought to address the main priorities indicated by the Committee in the wide ranging discussion that occurred in relation to that report.
Paul Lewin (Planning Policy and Projects Manager) introduced the report and referred members to their decision at the meeting on 23 July 2015 when they agreed to the publication on the website of a position statement and closer working with other London Boroughs on an affordable housing protocol. He referenced the draft Islington Development Viability Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) issued for consultation in early July 2015. Members heard that the production of an SPD, essentially duplicating much of the existing relevant guidance, against a background of resource constraint and a rapidly changing environment was not recommended as appropriate at present. On that basis, he recommended the endorsement of the Affordable Housing Position Statement attached as Appendix 1 as a proportionate response. Paul Lewin added that subsequent minor changes could be updated by the Head of Planning but more significant changes would be brought back to Committee for review and endorsement.
Members considered in detail, each paragraph of the proposed position statement:
Affordable Housing Need
It was suggested that in the interest of clarity, reference be made to amounts when referencing house prices, rents and wages in the Borough.
Recent housing delivery
In response to a member’s enquiry as to why targets had not been met, Paul Lewin stated that the statistics were blurred by start and completion dates of developments which differed in any period, adding that Brent was one of the highest delivering local authorities in the London area.
Policy context
Stephen Weeks (Head of Planning) clarified that it was not possible to insist on 50% affordable housing on all developments including those for 10 or lesser dwellings without taking viability issues and government policy into account. which could undermine the delivery target of 50%. He added that some local authorities and the Mayor of London had reduced their affordable housing thresholds. Members agreed that the following words be added to the statement to reflect Brent’s determination to deliver affordable housing against a background of change in national policy; “Notwithstanding recent national planning policy changes”.
Priority borough needs and tenure blind
It was suggested that the split of 70/30 social or affordable rent/shared ownership or intermediate housing could be amended to place more emphasis on social rent. Paul Lewin explained the difficulties as private developers would bear the cost of the subsidy for this tenure with likely reduction in overall affordable housing numbers, adding that a degree of flexibility had been built into the wording to reflect circumstances of different sites.
Maximum amount that can be achieved
Members agreed that the first sentence should be made more robust through replacing ‘be expected’ with either ‘need’ or ‘required’.
Modelling and Land Value
The Head of Planning informed members that the Council supported the Residual Land Value valuation model to identify the viability of a development and went on to clarify instances where Existing Use Value + incentive to sell (EUV+), GLA Affordable Toolkit and ARGUS model would be used. Members heard that for more complicated assessments, the Council would expect the developer’s support in appointing external viability consultants to assist with the modelling review. He added that Islington Council was proposing to challenge an appeal decision which may have future implications and had sought support from local authorities to assist the case. With that in mind, the Head of Planning advised that a letter would be sent within the next week and requested members to endorse the request by Islington Council which was agreed.
Review mechanism and phasing
Members agreed to remove the whole of the 3rd sentence and the following words in the succeeding sentence “In these scenarios” in this part of the statement.
RESOLVED:
(i) that the Brent Affordable Housing Position Statement as set out in appendix 1 to the report as amended in the discussions above be endorsed for publication on the Council’s website;
(ii) that the Head of Planning periodically review and make minor updates as required to the Brent Affordable Housing Position statement in relation to new evidence and changes to interpretation of policy.
Supporting documents:
- Afordable Housing Statement, item 4. PDF 105 KB
- Affordable Housing Statement - App1, item 4. PDF 115 KB