Issue - meetings

(a)       That the Committee support the process for the acceptance, calculation use of commuted sums as outlined in the report and Local Planning Guidance Note No. 9 - Affordable Housing; and

(b)       That a further review of the Policy take place in April 2015, with a view to implementing the Community Infrastructure Levy which, when implemented, will replace the Section 106 commuted sums regime.

The Housing Regeneration & Strategy Manager introduced the report to seek the support and views of the Committee on the proposed utilisation of commuted sums (derived for the purposes of providing affordable housing).  The report detailed the Council’s policies which enabled a commuted sum to be paid by a developer towards the provision of affordable housing on an alternative site where it was not possible to incorporate this on a particular scheme meeting the criteria.

The Housing Regeneration & Strategy Manager outlined the main areas of change and drew attention to the need to update the Council’s Local Planning Guidance Note No.9 to which Planning colleagues were in agreement.

Councillor Gareth Roberts referred to concerns by the Council’s Planning Committee on inconsistencies on some planning decisions in relation to Section 106 Agreements.  The Chief Officer (Community & Enterprise) said that this was a matter for the Planning Committee, but that encouraging individuals to register on the Affordable Housing Register would prove demand in certain areas.

Following comments from Councillor Ian Dunbar on criteria for affordable housing, the Chief Officer said that Council owned land would be given priority, however a broader scope was needed to enable certain sites outside the Council’s ownership to be considered for development to meet the priorities of the community.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Committee support the process for the acceptance, calculation use of commuted sums as outlined in the report and Local Planning Guidance Note No. 9 - Affordable Housing; and

(b)       That a further review of the Policy take place in April 2015, with a view to implementing the Community Infrastructure Levy which, when implemented, will replace the Section 106 commuted sums regime.