Housing

Introduction

9.1 This chapter is about housing in the district. One of the main objectives of the District Plan is to provide a strategy for residential development to provide for the housing needs of the local community, including those in need of affordable and special needs housing. Social, demographic and economic changes continue to create increasing pressure for land to be released for housing in the district. The Green Belt coverage of the rural part of the district makes opportunities for providing housing development in the district more limited and as a consequence sites must be identified and found within the built up areas.

Issues

9.2 There are three main issues to be addressed in meeting the housing requirements in the district. Firstly, the identification of an adequate number of housing sites to meet the housing requirements for the district, identified in the Adopted Structure Plan. This must be achieved whilst maintaining a good environment and limiting residential development to the excluded settlements.

9.3 Secondly, to maximise the use of previously developed land in line with Government Guidance, to encourage urban regeneration and to limit the need for use of greenfield sites. The use of previously developed sites will ensure the concentration of development in the urban areas where opportunities should be taken for higher density development in more accessible areas to reduce car usage.

9.4 Whilst the strategic housing requirement sets down the number of units required, it does not specify for whom these are required. It is therefore an issue for the Plan to include policies to ensure that the needs of all members of the community are met, including those in need of affordable housing and those with special needs such as the elderly and disabled.

Strategy and Objectives

9.5 The District Council's Objectives for residential development in the district are:

1. To meet the Structure Plan housing requirements for the district of 5600 dwellings between 1991 and 2011 in the most sustainable way, in order to meet the district's housing needs;

2. To maximise the use of previously-developed land for housing and achieve as a minimum the Government target for 60% of all new dwellings to be built on previously-developed land;

3. To provide for housing for local people whether private, affordable or special needs housing and for all sectors of the community;

4. To locate new housing development in the most accessible areas, to reduce the use of the private car and encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport.

Policies

Housing Land

9.6 The Adopted Hertfordshire County Structure Plan Review 1991 - 2011 (April 1998), gives the County of Hertfordshire dwelling requirement for the period from 1991 to 2011 as 65,000. The Structure Plan allocates this requirement between the ten districts, with the allocation for Welwyn Hatfield as 5,600.

9.7 As this allocation runs from 1991, there have obviously been some completions since the beginning of the plan period and there are some outstanding commitments in the form of planning permissions. The subtraction of these completions and commitments from the allocation provides the remaining housing requirement for the period to 2011. The housing land supply situation as at April 2004 is shown in Appendix 5. The dwelling requirement figure for the remaining period to 2011 is therefore 813.

9.8 This figure must be met from new development. In identifying sites to meet the housing requirement, the Council has followed government guidance contained in PPG3. This sets out a list of criteria which local authorities should use to assess the potential and suitability of sites for development in allocating housing sites in local plans:

• The availability of previously-developed sites and empty or under-used buildings, including their suitability for housing use;

• The location and accessibility of potential development sites to services and facilities by modes other than the car and the potential for improving such accessibility;

• The capacity of existing and potential infrastructure to absorb further development and the cost of adding further infrastructure (infrastructure includes public transport, water and sewerage, and social infrastructure such as schools and hospitals);

• The ability to build communities to support new physical and social infrastructure and to provide demand to sustain such levels of services and infrastructure;

• The physical and environmental constraints on development of land e.g. level of contamination, stability and flood risk.

9.9 PPG3 also states that in identifying sites to be allocated for residential use in plans, local authorities must follow a search sequence, starting with the use of previously developed land and buildings identified by the Urban Capacity Study. The Council carried out an urban capacity study in 1998-1999, in conjunction with Llewelyn Davies. The purpose of the study was to identify any potential for housing through redevelopment, development on vacant land and re-use of land or conversion of buildings to residential use within the district's towns and specified settlements.

9.10 The study identified a number of sites which were then assessed for feasibility and suitability for development based on a number of factors. These included location, ownership, back gardens, current uses, access, the suitability of the site for other uses and any other physical constraints such as contamination, topographical or geological features.

9.11 A list of 23 sites is identified in Policy H1 below to meet the housing requirements of the district to 2011. Of these, one is the Hatfield Aerodrome site, 15 are sites identified in the Urban Capacity Study and 7 are sites that have come forward during the preparation of the Plan, after the completion of the study. Together these are estimated to yield 3182 dwellings.

9.12 The major site is the former British Aerospace site at Hatfield (site HS1 in the list), now known as the Hatfield Aerodrome site. Although a previously developed site, it was not identified through the Urban Capacity Study, but was already identified following its designation in the District Plan Alterations No. 1 for a mixed-use redevelopment including housing, to be brought forward in the context of a Masterplan. The site is the subject of Adopted Supplementary Planning Guidance and it is estimated the figure for housing on the site will be 1,700. All the residential development is expected to be completed by 2008, within the Plan period.

9.13 An allowance for 'windfall' of 25 units per year has been made for the district in the past and the Council considers that this is an achievable and realistic figure to include in the future. Therefore in the period to 2011, it is estimated that 175 units will be developed on 'windfall' sites.

9.14 The number of dwellings proposed from windfall sites and the sites allocated for housing development in Policy H1 (excluding completions, units under construction and outstanding permissions) is therefore 175 + 1,455, i.e. 1,630, which meets the housing allocation figure of 813 to 2011. Therefore, the Council considers that there is no need to release Green Belt land nor the land reserved as an Area of Special Restraint at Panshanger Aerodrome, to meet the district's housing requirement up to 2011.

9.15 Other suitable previously developed sites, which come forward for development after the publication of this Plan, will be treated as windfall sites and considered in accordance with guidance in PPG3 and other policies in this chapter.

9.16 PPG3 states that the Council should include policies which allow for the release of sites over the plan period to control the speed and pattern of urban growth, ensure that new infrastructure is co-ordinated with development and deliver the recycling target.

9.17 However the Council considers that phasing of sites allocated in Policy H1 will occur naturally as a number of the sites are subject to constraints such as land assembly and the relocation of existing occupiers. These sites are therefore more likely to come forward in the later stages of the Plan period. The Council will work with the landowners to try to overcome these constraints. The Council considers that any more phasing of allocated sites will lead to an arbitrary phasing of development. However in order to prevent an oversupply of sites and to ensure the development of previously developed land first, the rate of windfall development will be monitored and phased if necessary, in accordance with policy H2.

9.18 Government guidance has set national guidelines for the proportion of new homes to be built on previously developed land at 60% over the next 10 years. Of the sites identified in Policy H1, approximately 90% of the proposed units are on previously developed land. These are all sites within the district's towns and specified settlements.

9.19 The Council will use the 'plan, monitor and manage' approach for housing land; it has allocated sites on which it will monitor progress and it will manage further site allocations through future reviews of the plan.

Phasing and Location of Windfall Residential Development

9.20 It is accepted that, whilst much of the housing allocation in the district will be met from the sites identified in Policy H1, there is an expectation that a small proportion of the dwelling numbers will come from windfall sites. Windfall sites are those sites which come forward which have not been identified in the Plan. They could be large, such as a factory closure site or small, such as a residential conversion or new flat over a shop. It is important that windfall sites on previously-developed land should be given priority over those on greenfield sites, except where the previously-developed site performs so poorly in relation to the following criteria, that it precludes the use of the site for housing before a greenfield site (see PPG3):

• The availability of previously-developed sites and/or buildings;

• The location and accessibility of the site to services and facilities by transport modes other than the car;

• The capacity of existing and potential infrastructure to absorb further development;

• The ability to build new communities to support infrastructure and provide demand for services and facilities;

• The physical and environmental constraints on development of land.

9.21 Whilst windfall applications for one dwelling may appear to have little impact on the infrastructure, the cumulative impact of a number of single dwellings may be significant. Similarly, larger windfall sites can have a significant impact and can help build new communities. There is a need to phase sites in order to ensure that development is co-ordinated with infrastructure improvements, to reserve sites for the later part of the plan period and to ensure the development of previously developed land.

9.22 At the same time there is a need to ensure that the approach adopted does not prevent suitable urban regeneration sites coming forward for development and does not conflict with the objectives of providing for affordable and other identified housing needs. The following policy will therefore be applied to windfall sites that come forward to ensure that there is not a significant oversupply of housing land within the district.

9.23 The Structure Plan requires 5600 additional homes in Welwyn Hatfield by 2011 (an annual average of 280 new homes). The Council considers that a situation of significant oversupply will have been reached when the district's dwelling requirement set by strategic guidance (allowing for demolitions) has been completed before the Plan period has expired.

9.24 In assessing whether a situation of significant oversupply has been reached, the Council will take into account the number and rate of dwellings that have been completed and are under construction, the state of the housing market, the number of outstanding permissions (allowing a contingency for non-implementation), and strategic and Government planning policy guidance.

9.25 Renewals of residential permissions should also be assessed against the criteria in the policy and those that do not meet the requirements should not be renewed.

Loss of Residential Accommodation

9.26 The district is under considerable pressure for new housing development to meet both local needs and general demand. The existing housing stock in the district represents a valuable resource which should be protected and enhanced. Therefore, the Council does not wish to see a net loss of dwellings in the district, unless there is a justifiable reason. This may include:

1. Where the design or location of the unit mean it is unsuitable for continued residential use, such as where it cannot provide adequate amenities or access; or

2. Where continued residential use would jeopardise the preservation of a Listed Building or a building in a Conservation Area.

Conversion of Residential Accommodation

9.27 Because of the pressure for residential accommodation in the district, the Council wishes to make the best use of the existing stock. Where the size of dwellings makes them no longer viable for use as single dwellings or where applications are submitted for the conversion of large units to smaller units the Council will look favourably on conversion provided that the conversion can take place without a detrimental effect on the character of the area or on the amenity of the neighbours.

Conversion of Commercial or Vacant Buildings to Residential Accommodation

9.28 Government guidance supports the conversion of commercial buildings and upper-floor space over shops to residential use particularly in town centres, where it will enhance the vitality and viability of the centre.

9.29 Where the proposal is in accordance with Policy EMP8, the Council will support the change of use of B1 offices outside the designated Employment Areas to residential use where the offices are no longer required, provided the conversion would not result in an over abundance of one land use type, i.e. the Council wishes to encourage mixed uses. Conversions will be supported in situations where the development is of a similar scale to existing activities, where it would not adversely affect residential amenity, and where safe and adequate parking, servicing and access is available.

9.30 The Council will also support the change of use of commercial buildings to residential use in existing residential areas where conversion would benefit the local area e.g. by the loss of a non-conforming use.

9.31 The Council will support and encourage initiatives for the residential use of upper floors of centrally located or accessible shops and offices. Whilst this will provide new residential units, it will also aid the vitality and viability of the towns. These initiatives are known as Living Over The Shop and Living Over The Office (see also Policies TCR8 and TCR18).

Increasing Densities

9.32 Government guidance advises that local planning authorities should avoid the inefficient use of land. The level of land taken for residential use in the past has been historically very high with resultant low densities. Low density developments are less able to sustain facilities, services and public transport facilities. In line with the objectives of a sustainable plan, the Council wishes to see new developments built to make efficient use of the land. Density is related to the character of an area. Development of small terraced units may detract from the local distinctiveness of an area of predominately large detached dwellings on detached plots; however, other forms of higher density development such as flats with similar massing to the large dwellings could be built without detracting from the character of the area. It is important that any residential developments close to town centres, or within an 800m walk-in catchment of the town centres, or sites that are accessible by modes of transport other than the car are built at a higher density to maximise the use of the land and help sustain vital services.

9.33 The average density of new housing development in the district between 1991 and 1998 was 35.46 dwellings per hectare. As part of the Urban Capacity Study, some of the sites identified had further work carried out to look at the possible densities if a design led approach to development were taken. The design led density solutions ranged from 20 to 75 dwellings per hectare, with most being between 30 and 50 dwellings per hectare and within the most accessible sites densities of 50 dwellings per hectare and above were achieved. It should be noted that whilst lower density development often takes place in those parts of the district that are characterised by large dwellings on large plots (in the form of replacement dwellings, or 2 dwellings in place of 1) these are not densities which the Council wish to see replicated in other areas. The Council therefore supports the Government guidance of encouraging housing development which makes more efficient use of land i.e. with the density of development between 30 and 50 dwellings per hectare. The Council will expect these density standards in all residential developments of 5 dwellings or more unless it would result in a detrimental effect on the character of the area. Within an 800m walk-in catchment area of the town centres and of neighbourhood centres with a good range of services and public transport accessibility, higher densities close to or exceeding 50 dwellings per hectare (above the district average of 35.46 dwellings per hectare) will be expected.

Affordable Housing

9.34 Housing costs in the district are amongst some of the highest in the country; this has resulted in an inability to find suitable and affordable accommodation for many residents in the district. Therefore within the towns and specified settlements the Council will expect all suitable proposals for residential development to contribute to meeting local housing needs.

9.35 Circular 6/98 on Planning and Affordable Housing defines affordable housing as both low-cost market and subsidised housing that will be available to people who cannot afford to rent or buy houses generally available on the open market, as both can play a part in providing for local needs. The Circular states that decisions on what types of affordable housing to build should reflect local housing need, as demonstrated by a housing needs assessment, and site suitability. In line with the Circular and PPG3 the Council commissioned a Housing Needs Survey of the district. The Survey found that the principal need was for subsidised rented accommodation as low cost market housing was beyond the reach of the majority of newly forming households and those in need. Less than 2% of newly forming households and concealed households expressed a preference for shared ownership.

9.36 It recommends that 30% of new dwellings on eligible sites should be subsidised. Whilst the Survey found that the scale of the need is far higher than 30%, it is considered that this is a realistic and achievable target to set for the provision of subsidised housing on eligible sites. RPG9 (2001) sets a higher target of 46-49% for affordable housing, however this figure includes provision for both subsidised rented and low cost market housing as defined by Circular 6/98 and PPG3.

9.37 Therefore with regard to new housing development the Council will expect a minimum of 30% of units on all eligible sites to be subsidised housing to meet local needs. This is a requirement on residential sites of 25 units or more, or on residential sites over 1ha in size. In assessing the suitability of proposed sites, the Council will have particular regard to the criteria set out in Section 10 of Circular 6/98. These criteria include the physical circumstances of the site, the prevailing and anticipated market conditions and whether the provision of affordable housing would prejudice the realisation of other planning objectives that need to be given priority in the development of the site.

9.38 Council will expect the affordable housing to incorporate a range of housing types and unit sizes to meet local need. For each eligible site, the Council will define a preferred mix for the affordable housing element. Shared ownership can help meet the needs of those who are unable to afford the whole cost of buying a property at that time, however the Housing Needs Survey identified that shared ownership only has a role to play for up to 100 households in the district. In addition the Survey demonstrates that there is a need in the district up to 2006, for 450 unsubsidised low cost market housing units to meet the needs of new forming households with income levels adequate to access the local market.

9.39 There is growing demand to make provision for key worker housing to ensure the delivery of essential public services and there is ongoing research to identify key workers and to quantify their need. The findings of the research will form the basis of a future Supplementary Planning Document. Sites that make provision for key worker housing in addition to the affordable housing requirement will be supported.

9.40 The management of affordable housing after development has taken place is generally expected to be carried out by transferring the affordable housing units to a Registered Social Landlord (RSL). In order to facilitate this, it is important that developers involve the RSL at an early stage to ensure that the affordable units are of a standard to meet their requirements.

9.41 All affordable housing will be secured for both initial and subsequent occupiers, either through the initial involvement of an RSL, or through a planning obligation under Section 46 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 restricting occupation.

Dwelling Type and Tenure

9.42 It is important that new residential development in the district responds to the needs of local people, whether those needs are for private, affordable or special needs housing and whether the occupants are old, young, single or in couples, families, students, those with disabilities or others.

9.43 With affordable housing, negotiation usually takes place with the Housing Associations to provide what is an identified need, however with private residential development, the developers build what they know they can sell, which has recently resulted in unimaginative estates of various styles of detached housing.

9.44 The need for new residential accommodation is largely as a result of changes in the composition of households. Family structure is changing and there are greater numbers of elderly and young people living independently. The majority of the projected growth will be in one-person households. These groups of people all have different requirements in terms of homes, whether they are private or rented, small flats or executive style houses. PPG3 states that plans should incorporate a mix of dwellings to meet the changing composition of households in the area in the light of likely assessed need. The Housing Needs Survey, which was carried out in 1999, confirmed that there is a demand within the district for flats, bedsits and one and two bedroom properties to meet current needs and address the shortage in the existing stock, which is predominantly new town 3 bedroom units. It is therefore important that developers incorporate different dwelling types and unit sizes into their schemes to meet the future requirements within the district. However the precise range of dwellings on a site could be affected by the size of the site, its location in terms of access to facilities in the area, and the nature and character of its surroundings.

9.45 Within larger residential developments the requirement for affordable housing will result in mixed-tenure development. Where this takes place the Council, in line with Government Guidance, will expect the areas to be fully integrated, with the affordable housing dispersed throughout the site, thereby securing a better social mix and avoiding the creation of large areas of housing of similar characteristics.

Special Needs Housing

9.46 There are also a number of households who, for a variety of reasons, will require more specialist accommodation, either in its construction or management. This type of accommodation may include accommodation for elderly persons, those with physical disabilities, those with mental health problems, those with learning difficulties and young people at risk. Whilst some of these people will be housed in open market housing, many specialist forms of accommodation will only be provided if there is some form of subsidy, i.e. they will be affordable units.

9.47 The needs of these groups are becoming more important with the current emphasis on care in the community, the closure of long stay units for people with disabilities and the increasing number of elderly people. The Council considers it important that special housing needs are met in locations close to community facilities and services and in types of housing to fit their requirements. Priority should be given to this type of development on suitable sites. The Housing Needs Survey identified 12.5% of households in the area with a special need.

Accessible Housing

9.48 The Housing Needs Survey identified that only 23% of the wheelchair users in the district live in adapted property and that only 7.6% of dwellings have been adapted for use by a disabled person (only 2.4% of owner occupied households), whereas 12.5% of households contained somebody with a special need. The largest identified disabled group was those with walking difficulties. There is clearly a shortfall of adapted dwellings for these people.

9.49 The Council supports the 'lifetime homes' concept. Lifetime homes are those which allow for the changing needs of occupants over time i.e. they can accommodate the majority of adaptations with maximum ease at minimum costs, so enabling the occupants to stay in the same neighbourhood. They do not necessarily lead to under-occupation as people do not have to stay in them, but at the same time they do not have to move if they do not want to. Lifetime homes can accommodate people with moderate disabilities.

9.50 In relation to new dwellings, Part M of the Building Regulations requires reasonable provision to be made so that disabled people can reach the principal or a suitable alternative entrance to the dwelling from the point of access and can have access into and within the principal storey of the dwelling. It also requires that sanitary accommodation is available at no higher storey than the principal storey. These provisions should ensure access by disabled people into new homes.

Student Accommodation

9.51 Student housing is an issue in the district as it is home to the University of Hertfordshire and The Royal Veterinary College, both of which have students who require accommodation. There is also a need for accommodation for some students who attend Oaklands College. This has a knock-on effect for private rented accommodation in the district. However, it is not practical for all accommodation for students to be provided on campus. There is therefore a need to strike a balance in terms of specific provision for students.

9.52 Where practical, the Council will support proposals by the University of Hertfordshire to provide accommodation for their students on campus to help ease the pressures on the private rented sector in Hatfield, freeing up more accommodation for local people. However, the development of the student accommodation should not be at the expense of the overall environment of the Campus or the amenity of communities living adjacent to the Campus. As the Royal Veterinary College is a Major Developed Site in the Green Belt any proposals for student accommodation must be considered in the light of Policy RA7 Royal Veterinary College in Chapter 15 Rural Areas.

Travelling Showpeople's Accommodation

9.53 Circular 22/91 requires Planning Authorities to consider the needs of travelling showpeople when preparing the Local Plan. Showpeople require sites for residential accommodation in the form of caravans and mobile homes, and for the storage of vehicles and fairground equipment. Whilst the sites have been traditionally used in the winter, there are some members of the group who will stay permanently e.g. older family members or children who are in full time education.

9.54 The circular urges local authorities to identify sites and include policies in the Plan for new sites if there is a need. There is one authorised travelling showpeople's site in the district at Welham Green, although this type of site would not normally be an appropriate use in the Green Belt.

Gypsy Sites and Accommodation

9.55 Gypsies are defined in Section 16 of the 1968 Act as 'persons of nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin'. The term does not include members of an organised group of travelling showpeople or circus people travelling together as such. Circular 1/94, states that local authorities should have regard to the accommodation needs of gypsies and identify suitable sites wherever possible; this is reinforced in PPG12, which states that the Plan should also identify current sites.

9.56 There is one County Council owned site in the district with 39 pitches, all of which are full, and one private site which has 9 pitches. There is no identified shortfall of pitches at present, however any application for a gypsy site must identify an unmet need. Whilst Circular 1/94 suggests that locations outside existing settlements may be considered for gypsy sites, they are inappropriate uses for the Green Belt and therefore in this district applications for new gypsy sites should only be considered within the towns and specified settlements, in the light of the following policy.