South Somerset Affordable Housing Policy

South Somerset adopted their Local Plan back in March 2015, it states that it is “shaping the future of the district, responding to specific needs and delivering sustainable development”.

 

Policies HG3 and HG4 of the Local Plan set out the expectations regarding affordable housing in the area. These can be seen below:

 POLICY HG3: PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING Planning permission for the erection of new dwellings will be permitted provided that, where it is viable to do so, the scheme provides affordable housing in accordance with the following: Settlement Yeovil Sustainable Urban Affordable housing target Threshold OR Hectares (irrespective of number of dwellings) Extensions Yeovil Primary Market Towns 35% 6 dwellings 0.2ha Local Market Towns Rural Centres Rural Settlements* • All affordable housing contributions shall enable the provision of the number of affordable dwellings without the need for public subsidy; Affordable housing will be provided on the application site except where there are good planning grounds that indicate that the provision of affordable housing would not be appropriate on that site. It is preferable in such circumstances that a financial or other contribution should be made towards the provision of affordable housing on another site in the settlement or nearby settlement; Where the above level of affordable housing provision renders a site unviable a reduction of provision will be accepted on the basis of an 'open book' submission in accordance with Policy SS6 and the Planning Obligations Protocol 2006. * Threshold only applies to those developments considered to be acceptable by nature of their sustainability as permitted by Policy SS2.

Policy HG3 identifies the affordable housing need for developments of 6+ dwellings or sites of more than 0.2ha. The expectation is that 35% will be provided as on-site affordable housing in Yeovil Sustainable Urban Extensions, Yeovil, Primary Market Towns, Local Market Towns, Rural Centres and certain developments in Rural Settlements. If it is not appropriate to provide the affordable housing on-site, a financial contribution towards the provision of affordable housing on another site will be considered.

 

HG3 is subject to viability, noting that if the target level of affordable housing renders a site unviable, then this can be reduced.

POLICY HG4: PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING - SITES OF 1-5 DWELLINGS Small sites below the threshold for a full affordable housing contribution will be expected, where it is viable to do so, to pay a commuted sum equivalent to a percentage of affordable housing provision on site as set out below. This will be over and above the relevant standard CIL contribution. Settlement Percentage equivalent of affordable housing provision on Number of dwellings site Yeovil, Primary Market Towns and Local Market 5% 1-5 Towns Rural Centres and Rural Settlements 10% 1-5

Policy HG4 sets out the requirements for affordable housing on sites of 1-5 dwellings. Depending on location, the affordable housing % differs. In Yeovil, Primary Market Towns and Local Market Towns, the equivalent to 5% affordable housing will be expected as a commuted sum, compared to Rural Centres and Settlements where 10% will be expected as a commuted sum.

Currently, a new Somerset Local Plan is in development which will incorporate all of the different districts that have their own policies as of now. However, there is no indication as to when this new document will be ready.

S106 Management would recommend a site-specific viability assessment to be carried out on all developments of 1+ dwellings in South Somerset, particularly on schemes under 15 dwellings in the current market environment.

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