Issue - meetings
Affordable Housing SPD
Meeting: 15/04/2010 - Local Development Framework Working Party (Item 30)
30 Affordable Housing SPD 
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Minutes:
Consideration was given to a report on the position following the consultations undertaken on the draft Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) which had been discussed on a number of occasions by the Working Party.
The Strategic Planning Manager outlined the nature and substance of the responses received and reported on the meeting which had subsequently taken place with the Government Office West Midlands (GOWM) in order to discuss the proposed SPD in more detail.
Members were informed that the recommendation of the GOWM was that the SPD should not be progressed further in its current form. The main reason for this view was that the SPD would be creating new policy which should be done by way of a Development Plan Document such as the Core Strategy. The policies in the Local Plan which the SPD was intended to supplement were outdated and could not realistically be used as a basis for the SPD. It was reported therefore that if the Council was to adopt the Affordable Housing SPD at this stage it was very likely it would be challenged by applicants at appeal with significant cost implications.
The GOWM had however suggested that the evidence gathered to date in relation to the SPD could be utilised as Interim Planning Guidance on Affordable Housing. Whilst this would contain limited weight, it would provide clarity and a basis for negotiations with applicants.
The Chairman also referred to a proposed SPD in relation to Hot Food Takeaways which was to be the subject of a report to the Cabinet on 28th April 2010.
RESOLVED that in accordance with the advice of the GOWM, the proposed Affordable Housing SPD be not progressed in its current form, but that the evidence gathered in support of the SPD be utilised by officers as a basis for negotiations with residential developers.