Increasing the supply of affordable housing is a key strategic priority for the Council.

To help deliver affordable housing the Council adopted two Altered Local Plan policies in 2006.

Altered policy H4 seeks to secure an element of affordable housing up to 35% of total provision of housing on appropriate sites, which exceed 0.17 hectares (outside Stowmarket and Needham Market).

Bearing in mind the Councils strategic priority, Altered policy H4 will be interpreted literally in barn / outbuilding conversion cases as follows: -

Where the application site exceeds 0.17 ha, regard will normally be had to Altered policy H4 and any application which fails to take appropriate steps to meet the policy is at risk of refusal, and

Where an affordable housing requirement arises under Altered policy H4 and the barn / outbuilding in question is not appropriate for conversion to provide affordable accommodation by reason of their character or appearance, then the Council will usually seek a commuted sum payment in lieu of on site delivery, and

Where a commuted sum is sought the Council will expect the applicant to enter an appropriate Section 106 planning obligation / unilateral undertaking to secure that payment toward the equivalent provision of affordable housing on another site.

Advice on the question of housing need in any particular locality may be obtained from the Council’s Housing Enabling Officer. In the event that no detailed local need information is available the Council will seek to address need based upon the general circumstances of the District. Equivalent off site provision of affordable housing will be made as appropriate having regard to current / anticipated affordable housing projects within the District.

To assist the Council’s timely consideration of a proposal, applicants will be expected to take steps to address this policy within their applications. Further guidance can be obtained through the Councils pre-application advice service.

February 2008