Housing

Purpose

To ensure that new residential accommodation meets local need.

Rationale and Evidence

National policy and guidance

Local Plan policies on mix/affordability.

Growth requirement / evidence of need.

Existing housing stock. Deficiencies in existing housing stock. Relative affordability (NS/regional/national)

Some development will involve smaller sites, so mix required for 3  or more dwellings (reducing threshold in Local Plan).

KHG1: Residential Mix

1. Residential development of three or more dwellings must address local need for smaller accommodation for first time buyers and elderly people looking to downsize. To achieve this, one and/or two bedroom dwellings should be a predominant part of the mix, including dwellings designed for older people.

 Interpretation:

The policy augments Local Plan policy on housing mix. The policy does not set specific proportions for housing mix, so does allow for flexibility. However, it makes clear that 1 or 2 bedroom units should form the largest part of the mix.

In considering the number of bedrooms, the Government’s Technical housing standards – nationally described space standard March 2015 sets out minimum room sizes.

For the avoidance of doubt, this policy and the following policy relates to residential development, but not to student and staff accommodation proposals within the Keele University Campus.

KHG2: Affordable Residential Provision

1. Affordable housing provision must form an integral part of any development or be in close proximity to the site, within the Keele Neighbourhood Area.

2. Affordable housing provision should be tenure blind and of similar specification to the market housing in any development.

3. Development that includes financial contributions for remote affordable housing, rather than providing affordable within the Keele Neighbourhood Area, will fail to meet the needs of Keele Parish, making the development unsustainable.

Interpretation:

The policy augments Local Plan policy on affordable housing, by setting requirements for where and how such provision is made.

Tenure blind means that affordable housing should be similar to market housing, rather than being developed to an inferior specification.