Affordable Housing for Developers

The current Interim Planning Guidance on Affordable Housing applies to all developments of 25 units or more, and development sites of 1 hectare or more.

 

The Council requires 40% affordable housing to be provided in rural areas, 15% in the Housing Market Renewal Area, and 20% everywhere else. The percentage requirement will normally be reduced if the Council requires the provision of social rented housing, or larger houses, reflecting the additional costs incurred by providing this type of affordable housing.

 

The Interim Planning Guidance contains a formula which allows a developer to calculate what the required contribution would be, in financial terms, based on the Gross Development Value of a scheme, and the number of units to be built. This allows a developer to assess the cost of providing the required affordable housing, prior to the purchase of a site, or the submission of a planning application.

 

The Interim Planning Guidance is currently being revised, and a revised version is available for consultation until the 30th May 2008.

 

For more information on affordable housing requirements, and how this could affect your developments, please email affordablehousing@sheffield.gov.uk or call the Strategic Initiatives team on (0114) 273 4617.