Core Strategy Issues & Options Affordable Housing Consultation Paper April 2008

1 Introduction

1.1 The Elmbridge Local Development Framework (LDF) is a series of documents that will guide the future of Elmbridge and development within the Borough into 2020 and beyond.  The Core Strategy is at the heart of the LDF and sets out the overarching and strategic planning policy framework for guiding the location and level of development in the Borough.  It also sets out a spatial strategy for the delivery of development and one of the key issues that it will be addressing is the provision and delivery of affordable housing in Elmbridge.

1.2 Elmbridge Council is committed to increasing the supply of affordable homes in the Borough and has identified it as one of its top priorities.  Work has commenced on collecting evidence and consultation views on the provision of affordable housing in Elmbridge with respect to the LDF as part of the preparation of the Core Strategy Development Plan Document (DPD).  The affordable housing agenda has so far been taken through both the Issues and Options and Preferred Options consultation stages.  These consultations, along with others carried out by the Council, have indicated support for the provision of decent affordable housing for Elmbridge residents.  In light of this community support, the Council’s commitment and recent government guidance, it has been decided that the Core Strategy is to deal with the provision of affordable housing in greater detail than was the original intention.  Therefore a Revised Core Strategy Issues and Options on Affordable Housing is being carried out.

1.3 The Revised Core Strategy Affordable Housing Consultation comprises four papers:

• Core Strategy Issues and Options Paper: Audit Trail for Affordable Housing (April 2008)
• Core Strategy Issues and Options Paper: Affordable Housing Policy Paper (April 2008)
• Core Strategy Issues and Options Paper: Affordable Housing Context Paper (April 2008)
• Core Strategy Issues and Options Paper: Affordable Housing Consultation Paper (April 2008)

1.4 The Audit Paper outlines the consultation that has been carried out to date and that has informed the LDF process and assisted in the development of the preparation of the Affordable Housing Spatial Strategy that is to form part of the Core Strategy DPD.  This includes consultation exercises and workshops that have more recently been facilitated by Council officers.  The Policy Paper provides an overview of policy and strategy that is of relevance or has implications for the provision of affordable housing within Elmbridge.  The Context Paper, using evidence collected, provides an overview of Elmbridge with respect to its affordable housing provision and the issues the Borough faces.    It also provides a summary of the actual delivery of affordable housing that has taken place over the past number of years.  This paper clearly identifies the significant shortfall in affordable housing provision within Elmbridge when housing need is taken into account

1.5 All three of these ‘background papers’ have informed the ‘Affordable Housing Consultation Paper’. The Consultation Paper is intended to generate discussion about the affordable housing issues specifically faced by Elmbridge and the options or opportunities to address the shortfall in this provision.  Views are sought on this Consultation Paper and this is an important and crucial opportunity for stakeholders to participate in the preparation of affordable housing strategy and policy for inclusion within the Core Strategy DPD.       

1.6 The Consultation Paper initially seeks comments on the Spatial Vision and Spatial Objectives, with specific reference to affordable housing provision.  It then identifies and suggests possible issues and options that need to be addressed in order to meet the commitment to increasing the delivery of the maximum number of new affordable housing in order to address the Borough’s identified needs. There are a range of issues and an even greater number of options that could be taken forward as part of the Core Strategy and it is possible that a combination of these could be appropriate to facilitate a successful response to the issues faced. Comment is sought on these issues and options and also whether any have been missed.  If you are aware of any alternatives or additional comments these should be provided as part of this consultation so that they can be considered further and comprehensively.

1.7 All of the issue and options have been tested against a Sustainability Framework, as is required by Government Guidance.  The purpose of this is to ensure that they conform to the aims and objectives of sustainable development, which is essentially development which meets the needs of the current community without compromising the ability of future communities to meet their own needs.  The results of this ‘test’ are contained within the ‘Progress Report for the Sustainability Appraisal for the Revised Core Strategy Issues and Options Paper- April 2008’.  This is to be of assistance when considering the following issues and options and there is also opportunity to comment this Report.   All additional options put forward will also need to be tested against this Sustainability Framework.