Decision details
Proposed designation of 'Rural area' for Herefordshire under the Housing Act 1985
Decision Maker: Cabinet member finance, corporate services and planning
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: Yes
Purpose:
To seek approval to apply to the Secretary of
State in order to designate the rural parishes of Herefordshire as
‘rural’ under Section 157 of the Housing Act
1985.
This will enable the Council the flexibility to develop affordable
housing policy thresholds on sites less than 10 units in rural
areas as part of the emerging Local Plan 2021-2024
Decision:
That:
a) an application under section 157 of the Housing Act 1985 be made to the Secretary of State to designate as ‘rural’ each of the qualifying parishes within the County of
Herefordshire as listed in Appendix 3 to the report.
Alternative options considered:
1. If an application to designate a rural area is not made to the Secretary of State then future affordable housing planning policy will be subject to the restriction outlined within para 64 of the National Planning Policy Framework and para 023 of the National Planning Practice Guidance.These indicate that in areas not designated as rural or outside of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, affordable housing contributions should not be sought on sites under 10 units or if the site has an area of less than 0.5 hectares. The current threshold with Policy H1 of the Core Strategy would remain.
Wards Affected: (All Wards);
Consultees
Register Social Landlords - meeting on 6
September 2022
Contact: Samantha Banks, Neighbourhood Planning Service Manager Email: sbanks@herefordshire.gov.uk Tel: 01432261576.
Publication date: 10/11/2022
Date of decision: 28/10/2022
Effective from: 04/11/2022
Accompanying Documents:
- Proposed designation of 'Rural area' for Herefordshire under the Housing Act 1985, main report PDF 328 KB
- Appendix 1 - Parishes compared to the eligibility criteria PDF 123 KB
- Appendix 2 - Map showing parishes subject to the rural area designation application PDF 5 MB
- Appendix 3 - List of parishes subject to the rural areas designation application PDF 211 KB
- Appendix 4 - Existing numbers of tenants under the Right to Buy scheme in the county PDF 178 KB
- Appendix 5 - Housing Completions 2015-2022 and affordable thresholds PDF 111 KB
- Appendix 6 - Rural Area Designation application process PDF 203 KB