Housing Implementation SPD

The Council is preparing a Housing Implementation Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to supplement Local Plan policies HSG10: Affordable Housing and NE1: Special Protection Areas and Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

The SPD will set the Council´s strategy for delivering housing in the Borough, including the approach to the provision of affordable housing, and guidance on how the impacts of residential development on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area should be mitigated. The SPD will also set out how the Council will deliver its housing strategy to 2026.

Between the 12th April 2007 and the 24th May 2007 the Council undertook early stakeholder engagement on the SPD. Key stakeholders including housing associations, developers, housebuilders and environmental groups were consulted to find out what issues the SPD should address, including:

1. The requirement for affordable housing provision - type and tenure.
2. The development of a tariff for off-site affordable housing.
3. Protecting the SPA through a tariff to improve other areas of open space.
4. How to overcome obstacles and constraints to housing delivery.

The Council also consulted on the scope of the Sustainability Appraisal that will be undertaken on the SPD to ensure that it meets with the social, economic and environmental aims of sustainable development. 

Following on from this first round of consultation on the SPD and the Sustainability Appraisal, the Council is preparing a draft SPD and Sustainability Report which will be subject to a further six weeks of consultation in 2008.  The Council aims to adopt the SPD later in 2008.