Royal Greenwich Consults on new planning policy on affordable housing

(Credit: Woolwich Online/File)

by Our Staff Reporter | Woolwich

The Royal Borough of Greenwich is consulting on a landmark new planning policy to make affordable housing viability studies more transparent.

The Royal Borough is introducing the new planning policy which will mean developers who put in residential planning applications that don’t meet the borough’s affordable housing target will have to supply a fully public viability study.

Developers are required to include at least 35% of affordable housing in new residential developments in the borough of more than ten new homes. At the moment, developers who say their development isn’t economically viable with this level of affordable housing have to supply a viability study which they can request stays confidential.

The study is then assessed by an independent expert on behalf of the Council who makes recommendations to the Planning Board as part of the overall report it considers in relation to the application.

The borough is now proposing introducing a new list of locally established criteria that sets out what information should be provided when submitting a planning application– which includes the requirement to provide a fully public viability study for residential developments that are proposing less than 35% affordable homes. This will then be subject to full public consultation as part of the planning application.

Councillor Danny Thorpe, Royal Borough of Greenwich Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport said: “This is about transparency for local people. At the moment our hands are tied on affordable housing levels if the viability study shows a development won’t work financially with the levels of affordable housing we want."

"This will now allow the whole process to be far more transparent – making the viability studies publicly available as part of the planning documents means the Royal Borough and residents alike can see precisely why a developer might claim they cannot meet our affordable housing targets. We believe we’re the first local authority in the country to be doing this – looking at policy which insists on these studies being in the public domain. We now want to hear what people think about this policy so please do give us your views”.

The proposed policy on viability studies is contained in a list of 39 proposed new locally set criteria that some planning applications may be required to meet, depending on a number of factors such as their size and nature.

Consultation on the proposal begins today (Monday 11 May) - you can find details on the Royal Borough of Greenwich website - www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/haveyoursay.