Action

 

 

Action

 

Ownership

 

Progress / Comments

 

Time Scale

 

Complete

1.

Strategic Approach, Aims and Objectives

 

 

 

 

 

1.1

Establish affordable housing as a high level aim within the Corporate Plan (Priority 1)

Jane Smith / David Turner

 

June 05

 

1.2

Increase the prominence of affordable housing an all relevant corporate documents (Priority 2)

Jane Smith / David Turner

 

June 05

 

1.3

Review Corporate Objectives to seek ways of aligning measurement of staff performance across linked functions in different Directorates (Priority 2)

Jane Smith / David Turner

 

June 06

 

1.4

Prepare and affordable Housing Delivery Plan with appropriate input from key departments as soon as possible, and ensure that it is adopted at the highest level.  (Priority 1)

Phillippa Yeates

Draft complete consultation process underway

July 05

 

2.

 

Training and Team Building

 

 

 

 

2.1

Conduct a review of training and team building needs in this area and devise a programme for delivery (Priority 1)

Stuart Palmer / Karuna Tharmanthar

Initial Joint Planning/Housing/RSL training taking place in June 05.

April 05

 

3.

 

Strategic Liaison Arrangements

 

 

 

 

3.1

Carry out a review of all working groups to ensure that their remits are appropriate and properly linked, to avoid duplication and make the best use of time.  Any restructure should take into account the work plan being prepared by DTZ following their West of England Housing Market Study and also any other West of England initiatives, in addition to North Somerset issues (Priority 1)

Kay Topazio / Stuart Palmer

Spider graph showing links to be produced.

March 05

 

 

 

 

Action

 

Ownership

 

Progress / Comments

 

Time Scale

 

Complete

4.

 

Internal Liaison and Procedures

 

 

 

 

4.1

Consult with Housing and Planning Officers further in the preparation of a liaison procedure for sites where affordable housing is likely to be sought.  (Priority 1)

Phillippa Yeates/James Bradbury/Louise Davidson

Procedure developed, being consulted on for windfall sites, need procedure for 106 sites (LD).

June 05

 

4.2

Investigate the use of unilateral undertakings for affordable housing obligations. (Priority 3)

 

Investigated and the issue is giving developers information early to speed up S106 negotiations rather than accept unilateral undertakings see 4.4 below

March 05

Yes

4.3

Consider directing all affordable housing sites exceeding the agreed threshold to identified officers within the Development Control Major Applications Team (Priority 3)

 

Investigated and now not necessary due to restructure and small dedicated team dealing with sites

March 05

Yes

4.4

Produce a procedure for dealing with developers, (linked to the proposed Developer’s Pack) and investigate mechanisms for site specific involvement (where required) by Planning Policy Staff.  (Priority 2)

Louise Davidson/ Richard Kent/HomesWest

 

June 05

 

5

 

Council Landholdings

 

 

 

 

5.1

Conduct a review of Council owned sites (in advance of the proposed transfer if possible) to ascertain their potential for affordable housing provision. (Priority 1)

Louise Davidson/ James Bradbury/

 

 

June 05

 

 

 

 

Action

 

Ownership

 

Progress / Comments

 

Time Scale

 

Complete

5.2

Review the infrastructure likely to be available to service these sites. (Priority 3)

Louise Davidson

 

June 05

 

5.3

Review the Council’s Land Disposal Policy in the light of affordable housing need and the General Disposal Consent 2003.  (Priority 2)

Louise Davidson/Martin O’Neil

Discussion taken place at AHDG, current procedure allows for Housing to express interest in land.  Priority sites to be investigated and taken back to group in July to  seek possible approval for  disposal to RSL to be given priority before going on open market.

July 05

 

6

 

Section 106 Agreements

 

 

 

 

6.1

Produce a S106 Arbitration Protocol which will consider how competing planning obligations might be apportioned should this be necessary for site viability or other reasons (Priority 2)

Roger Willmot

Draft protocol under discussion

June 05

 

6.2

Obtain and review the outcome from the S106 Good Practice Research being carried out and incorporate into the procedure and proceed Technical Advice Note on affordable housing to include transfer value of units to developers (Priority 1)

Louise Davidson Nick Brain HomesWest

Consider if Technical appropriate? – would it be better to continue with existing SPG and prioritise SPD in LDF

July 05

 

7

Local Plan / SPG and Housing Need

 

 

 

 

 

7.1

Investigate the capacity of sites identified in the Local Plan for affordable housing and the number of likely additional affordable housing units if sites of between 0.5 ha 15 and 25 units are included in the calculations.  Categorise the sites in terms of the number of units, how advanced the negotiations are, and whether planning consent has been achieved.  (Priority 1)

Michael Reep / Angie Wallpole/ Louise Davidson

 

July 05

 

7.2

Review approaches being taken by other local authorities towards lowering the threshold to 15 units.  Investigate relevant appeal decisions and establish whether a shortage in the volume of sites coming through the process at the adopted threshold can be used to evidence any “exceptional” case to support the lower threshold. (Priority 1)

Michael Reep / Louise Davidson

Lower Threashold now adopted.  Need to check challenges and appeal decisions.

July 05

 

 

 

 

Action

 

Ownership

 

Progress / Comments

 

Time Scale

 

Complete

7.3

Take advice on the likely validity of the proposed local needs assessment exercise being carried out and if necessary support this with updated information.  Devise a clear policy setting out tenure and mix expectations for new affordable housing based on housing making the exceptional case for the lower threshold.  (it must be borne in mind that this case should be based on tests within circular 6/98)

Michael Reep / Louise Davidson

Lower threashold now adopted.  Bramley Research being tested through the Local Plan Inquiry process.

Aug 05

 

7.4

Implement developers pack on affordable housing setting out what is required i.e. nil subsidy levels/examples of legal clauses etc assist in delivery.

HomesWest / Louise Davidson/ Roger Willmot

Priority for this to be completed ASAP to tie into work Roger is doing on developers packs.

May 05

 

7.5

Consider appropriate mechanisms to allow more regular updating of planning guidance notes, to accommodate changes in circumstances

 

Unable to do at present due to changes in Local Plan Process

Jan 08

 

7.6

Produce a policy for the use of commuted sums received from developers and make this available in the Developer’s pack

Louise Davidson / Richard Dowding

Low priority as minimising use of commuted sum and will be negotiated on site by site basis

June 08

 

7.7

Review and clarify SPG clause 6.5 to reduce the opportunity for less preferred forms of tenure to be provided in the case of delays to development programmes

Louise Davidson / Michael Reep/HomesWest

Link with SPD 6.2 above

 

 

7.8

Review the criteria for assessing site viability and consider a mechanism for independent assessment

 

Reviewed and currently happy with internal site viability assessments.  However, will consider on a site by site basis.

Jan 06

Yes

7.9

Create a specific protocol for site density and the artificial splitting of sites to avoid the site size threshold

Louise Davidson/ Richard Dowding

Link with 7.4 above

May 05

 

 

 

 

Action

 

Ownership

 

Progress / Comments

 

Time Scale

 

Complete

7.10

Get examples from other Local Authorities of successful pepper potting and mixed tenure leasehold schemes.

Louise Davidson/ HomesWest

 

Aug 05

 

8

 

Use the Private Sector

 

 

 

 

8.1

Conduct a review of ways in which the private sector and the Council could work to mutual benefit to relieve affordable housing need.  (Priority 3)

Shane Dyke / Phillippa Yeates

Investigation ongoing through empty homes and temporary accommodation

Jan 06

 

8.2

Link the proposed Private Sector Housing Strategy to the Affordable Housing Delivery Plan

 

Affordable Housing Delivery Plan at consultation stage links made with private sector

May 05

Yes

9

 

Additional Recommendations

 

 

 

 

9.1

Independent Negotiator – Consider the use of a retained independent negotiator for larger sites coming through the planning process. 

 

Considered and not felt appropriate at this stage.

 

yes

9.2

Rural Strategy – Review the Council’s strategy for affordable housing in rural areas, taking into account any Local Needs Assessment exercises being carried out.  (Priority 3)

Louise Davidson / Richard Dowding

 

March 06

 

9.3

Data Review and Collection – Review data to establish what has been achieved in terms of affordable housing since 1996 and set up monitoring procedures to compare ongoing delivery with need.  Review data collection and recording procedures to ensure shared monitoring of relevant statistics between Housing and Planning Departments. (Priority 2)

Michael Reep / James Bradbury / Angie Wallpole

Housing have set up monitoring of Affordable Housing Delivery need to link with planning system

April 05