HP4

Policy: HP4 - Housing Policy 4

Housing Policy 4: New housing will be located primarily within our existing towns and villages, or, where appropriate, in sustainable urban extensions (1) of these towns and villages where identified in adopted Area Plans: otherwise new housing will be permitted in the countryside only in the following exceptional circumstances:

1. essential housing for agricultural workers in accordance with Housing Policies 7, 8, 9 and 10;
2. conversion of redundant rural buildings in accordance with Housing Policy 11; and
3. the replacement of existing rural dwellings and abandoned dwellings in accordance with Housing Policies 12, 13 and 14.

8.5.6 The anticipated increase in the total number of dwellings on the Island over the Plan period is approximately 14%. By administering the programme of Area Plan preparation, the Department will ensure that there is sufficient land zoned for residential development to meet the overall housing requirement figure required by Housing Policy 1. The Department has resolved to prepare under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1999 four Area Plans which will concentrate upon larger areas of the Island. These will focus on the North, West, East and South of the Island and correspond with those areas discussed at paragraph 5.9 of the Spatial Strategy Chapter.

8.6 Affordable Housing

8.6.1 The Department is concerned about the increasing difficulties of securing the provision of affordable housing across the Island. The Department can, and does as a Housing Authority, intervene financially to provide financial support to local Authorities; financial support to prospective owner occupiers (through the House Purchase Assistance Scheme 2002) and by direct provision of new houses to rent. The provision of affordable housing is a material consideration in the preparation of the development plan. In the current situation the Department considers that, to secure an adequate provision of affordable housing, it is appropriate to require that any area of land identified for housing purposes should include a contribution towards the provision of affordable housing.

8.6.2 There are currently around 1,584 (as at 31st March 2007) households on the General Housing Waiting List. In addition, there are some 690 (as at 31st March 2007) households registered with the Department under the House Purchase Assistance Scheme (HPAS). This indicates a total current need of some 2,274 households for affordable housing.

(1) Sustainable Urban Extensions are defined in Appendix 1

8.6.3 In the current circumstances the Department considers that approximately 25% of new housing provision should take the form of affordable housing. In assessing the appropriate percentage in each instance, the Department will have regard to the fact that the figure is a target over the Plan Period as a whole; to evidence of local housing need; to the nature of the land and viability of the scheme; and to the nature of existing adjacent housing. The 25% provision will be monitored and reviewed as part of any review of the Strategic Plan.