Chapter 5
Policy Guidance
5.1 It is the objective of this SPPG to assist in meeting housing needs in East Renfrewshire through the provision of affordable housing, and in doing so, creating diverse, mixed communities with a choice of housing tenures, types and sizes.
5.2 This guidance will be applied to the consideration of all new housing proposals in East Renfrewshire that do not already enjoy the benefit of Planning Permission for housing development. The Council will seek to secure an appropriate contribution towards the provision of affordable housing through one or a combination of the following mechanisms:
On-site provision
Off-site provision
Commuted payments
5.3 In general, the Council favours on-site provision whereby serviced and accessible land within a housing development is transferred or sold to a RSL for development. Off-site provision, whereby suitable land in the same locale is transferred to the Council or a RSL or whereby the developer provides affordable housing on that site, will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances. The onus will be on the developer to justify the omission of on-site provision and to guarantee the delivery of off-site provision within a timescale agreed with the Council. The payment of a commuted sum in lieu of site provision will only be acceptable in very exceptional circumstances where neither on-site nor off-site provision can be delivered.
5.4 The Council’s preferences for affordable housing provision lie in the following order of priority.
1. Social rented housing.
2. Shared equity/shared ownership housing.
3. Discounted low cost housing.
4. Housing without subsidy.
5. Private below market rent housing.
Applicable Sites
5.5 This Policy Guidance is principally focussed on development opportunities arising within the general urban areas on sites that are solely covered by Policy E1 in the adopted Local Plan. These areas are where brownfield, windfall sites may arise and provide opportunities for urban renewal. Such sites will be required to provide a 25% quota of affordable housing.
5.6 However, in certain circumstances favourable consideration may also be given to affordable housing on sites currently allocated for other land use purposes in the Local Plan and which have been vacant or derelict for some time. In such circumstances, where on balance the affordable housing benefits outweigh the current Local Plan designations, the Council will be seeking 100% affordable housing provision on the site.
5.7 Exceptions to an affordable housing requirement of 25% on E1 sites and 100% on sites allocated for other purposes may be permissible where higher components of owner occupied housing may be required to:
improve tenure choice
facilitate the regeneration of Barrhead as outlined in the Barrhead Regeneration Framework; or
assist in the redevelopment of Braidbar Quarry in Giffnock to stabilise the unsafe ground conditions.
5.8 Sites currently allocated for general owner occupied housing development in Proposal H1 of the adopted Local Plan that do not have the benefit of Planning Permission for residential development will be the subject of this SPPG. Exceptions to the requirement for affordable housing on such sites will be where the exclusive development for owner occupied housing is required to facilitate the regeneration of Barrhead as outlined in the Barrhead Regeneration Framework.
5.9 Proposals for affordable housing on greenfield land not allocated for housing development in the Local Plan, including in the Green Belt, will be opposed. Should brownfield, windfall land and existing housing sites, as described above, not produce a sufficient supply of affordable housing then this will be addressed by the replacement Local Plan.
5.10 In all instances, proposals of this nature will require to satisfy the requirements of Policy Strat2 and Policy DC1 of the adopted Local Plan.
Site Allocations and Thresholds
5.11 Throughout the area, developers will be expected to make provision for a minimum capacity of 25% affordable housing units on all new housing developments with potential for 4 or more units, unless exempted under the circumstances described in paragraphs. 5.6 and 5.7 above.
5.12 Where the developer can demonstrate to the Council’s satisfaction that there are exceptional costs, consideration will be given to the requirement for affordable housing to be reduced to ensure the cumulative burden on the overall development does not make site development unviable.
5.13 Large Sites (20 or more dwellings) – On large sites, capable of accommodating 20 or more dwellings, the developer will normally require to make on-site provision for a minimum capacity of 25% affordable dwellings. In line with the advice contained in PAN 74, the developer will require to transfer serviced land for this capacity to the Council or a RSL at a value equal or less than its value for affordable housing in the locality concerned.
5.14 Small Sites (4 to 19 dwellings) – On small sites, capable of accommodating between 4 and 19 dwellings, the Council may accept off-site provision at a minimum of the 25% level within the same locality or where this is impractical, a commuted sum equivalent to the value of serviced land for affordable housing within the same locality. Where there are conjoining small sites that could cumulatively exceed 20 or more dwellings the Council will normally require the developer or developers to combine to make on-site provision.
5.15 Very Small Sites (under 4 dwellings) – On very small sites with capacity for less than 4 dwellings there will be no requirement for an affordable housing allocation. Where sites of this size conjoin, and the cumulative capacity exceeds 4 dwellings, the developer or developers will be expected to combine to make provision for affordable housing in line with the stipulations for large or small housing sites.
Mixture and Integration
5.16 The Council is seeking to create mixed sustainable communities that will meet a range of housing needs as highlighted in the East Renfrewshire Local Housing Strategy. The Council will provide advice and guidance on the mix of dwelling types and sizes needed to meet the affordable housing requirements of its priority client groups and the regeneration requirements of the area. The affordable housing component should be well integrated into the overall development and there should be no discernible difference in the style layout and appearance between the affordable and market housing. In general, affordable housing should, wherever possible, be indistinguishable from the general mix of other housing on the site in terms of architectural quality and detail.
Retention of Affordable Housing
5.17 The Council considers that affordable housing should remain affordable as long as there is an identified housing need shown in the Local Housing Strategy, which will be reviewed every 5 years. It is considered that this can be most effectively achieved through the delivery of social rented housing. Where other mechanisms are used for delivery, such as shared ownership, shared equity, discounted low cost housing, housing without subsidy or private below rent market housing, developers will require to enter into binding legal agreements that will govern the future sale or rent of the houses to ensure that they remain affordable as long as an affordable housing need remains.
Priority Client Groups
5.18 Affordable housing for sale should be provided in conjunction with targeted priority purchase agreements. These agreements should ensure that the affordable housing is directed towards local people or people with a demonstrable local connection, on modest incomes who would not be able to purchase a property on the open market in the local area.
5.19 It will be a requirement for schemes to be put in place targeting affordable housing at priority client groups in all instances except where there are mechanisms already in place. Existing mechanisms include the allocations policies of RSLs which are regulated by Communities Scotland.