Affordable Housing

Affordable Housing

With updates to the NPPF 2024 and amendments to PPG: Housing and Economic Needs Assessment, the revised mandatory housing target within B&NES is now around 1,500 homes per year for the Plan period. Given these updated housing requirements, a further Local Housing Needs Assessment (LHNA) has been undertaken. The LHNA 2025 sets out that based on the revised standard method the requirement is for around 27,000 homes over the plan period, with a 54% requirement for market housing and a 46% requirement for affordable housing across Bath and North East Somerset.

The NPPF 2024 under paragraphs 63 and 64 includes reference to the requirement for Social Rent. With this increased emphasis on delivering Social Rent housing, we have included a further option (additional to that in the 2024 document) within this Options consultation relating to considering wider evidence for proposed policy for affordable housing on larger sites.

H/AH: Affordable Housing (Large Sites) – Proposed Options

Option	Description
1	Affordable Housing will be required as on-site provision in developments of 10 dwellings* and above (0.5ha and above) in line with percentages set out in the LHNA and as tested through the local plan viability (whole plan) assessment. It is also proposed this will be on a grant free basis. *Note: that dwellings are not confined to C3 use class but comprises all residential accommodation that provides a dwelling for a household. Some forms of dwellings are subject to separate Affordable Housing policy options e.g.co-living and Build to Rent schemes.
2	Affordable Housing will be required as on-site provision in developments of 10 dwellings* and above (0.5ha and above) in line with the evidence base and as tested through the local plan viability (whole plan) assessment. It is also proposed this will be on a grant free basis. *Note: that dwellings are not confined to C3 use class but comprises all residential accommodation that provides a dwelling for a household. Some forms of dwellings are subject to separate Affordable Housing policy options e.g. co-living and Build to Rent schemes.