Rural Housing Event 27 June 2017 A Cleaner

Rural Housing Event 27 June 2017 A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Welcome Cllr Chris Saint Leader SDC A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Introductions Dave Webb Executive Director, SDC A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Policy update John Careford & Renata Mosz A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Planning Framework (1) Core Strategy adopted July 2016 (1/3 of Councils have an adopted plan!) Sets out how and where development needs of the District will be met to 2031 Housing Requirement of 14, 600 for 2011 -2031 A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Planning Framework (2) Dispersed settlement pattern: o Main Town o 8 Main Rural Centres o 4 Categories of Local Service Villages o 2 New Settlements Sets out approach to community-led local needs schemes ‘Made’ Neighbourhood Plans also part of Development Plan A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Core Strategy and local needs schemes • Core Strategy Policies CS. 15 and AS. 10 • Supported in principle in any settlement across the District • Schemes should be ‘community-led’ i. e. promoted/supported by parish council • Must meet an identified local need • Evidence of need e. g. housing needs survey • Can provide affordable and/or market housing with a local connection A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Housing Strategy 2015 -2020 (1) • Incorporates ‒ Private Sector Housing Strategy ‒ Homelessness Review ‒ Homelessness Strategy • https: //www. stratford. gov. uk/homesproperties/housing-strategy-and-development. cfm A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Housing Strategy 2015 -2020 (2) Aim 1 To support communities including increasing the supply and choice of good quality affordable housing for local people. Aim 2 To improve existing housing and help people to live as independently as possible. Aim 3 To prevent homelessness and reduce the harm caused by it. A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Housing Strategy 2015 -2020 (3) • The District Council’s Cabinet reviews & monitors delivery of the Strategy twice a year – last considered it in May 2017 https: //democracy. stratford. gov. uk/ie. List. Docum ents. aspx? CId=485&MId=5103&Ver=4 • Partners also monitor delivery A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Number of new affordable homes 1, 430 affordable homes last ten years (financial years) 350 288 300 Number 250 263 215 200 150 139 100 51 50 0 20 07 20 /0 8 76 75 08 /0 20 9 09 /1 20 0 10 96 20 20 122 105 /1 1 11 /1 2 12 /1 20 3 13 /1 20 A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence 4 14 20 /1 5 15 20 /1 6 16 /1 7

Contacts for affordable homes Sarah Brooke-Taylor, Rural Housing Enabler, WRCC T: 01789 472611 E: sarahbt@wrccrural. org. uk John Gordon, Development & Enabling Officer, SDC T: 01789 260843 E: john. gordon@stratford-dc. gov. uk Renata Mosz, District Housing Enabler, SDC T: 01789 260842 E: renata. mosz@stratford-dc. gov. uk A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

The role of the Rural Housing Enabler: bringing affordable homes to rural communities. Sarah Brooke-Taylor Enabling rural affordable housing

Background The District Council funds the Stratford-on-Avon District Rural Housing Enabler Project: a service provided by Warwickshire Rural Community Council (WRCC). WRCC brings independence to negotiations, which is important to local communities. Enabling rural affordable housing

What does the RHE do? The Rural Housing Enabler (RHE) works with rural communities: • to assess their local housing requirements, and • to identify possible locations for new homes to meet an identified need. Enabling rural affordable housing

The RHE supports rural communities to carry out parish-wide surveys of housing need. These surveys: • determine the local level of need for housing, both affordable and market, and • explore community opinion towards new housing development. Enabling rural affordable housing

How does it actually work? The RHE receives an approach from: • Parish Council • Community led planning group (Parish Plan or Neighbourhood Development Plan) • Local landowner, local developer, or similar Enabling rural affordable housing

A Housing Survey is undertaken on behalf of the Parish Council. Every household receives: • Cover letter from the Parish Council • Survey form • Freepost envelope All at no cost to the Parish Council. Enabling rural affordable housing

The Housing Survey Report is formally adopted by the Parish Council and published on the SDC website. If a local need is identified the RHE works with the Parish Council to identify suitable development sites. Enabling rural affordable housing

Rural exception sites Local Needs Schemes are built to identified need on ‘rural exception’ sites. • Identified need = local housing needs survey, local housing waiting list. • Rural exception sites = small sites, within or adjoining existing rural community, which may be subject to policies of restraint and which would not otherwise be suitable for general market housing. Enabling rural affordable housing

Housing association Once a suitable location is chosen a housing association gets involved with land purchase negotiations. The housing association works with appropriate partners to purchase the land, prepare designs, submit a planning application, build and manage the new homes. Enabling rural affordable housing

Mixed tenure sites have improved deliverability: • Housing association rent • Housing association shared ownership • Local market homes All with local connection criteria. Enabling rural affordable housing

Local connection • Born in the parish • Currently live in the parish • Currently work in the parish • Immediate family within the parish • Previously lived in the parish and forced to move away through lack of suitable housing Enabling rural affordable housing

The three C’s None of these steps happen without the support of the Parish Council and local community. Consultation and communication are vital to the process. Enabling rural affordable housing

Rural affordable homes Brailes x 10 + x 8 Little Compton x 4 Priors Marston x 8 Lighthorne Heath x 10 + x 12 Shipston on Stour x 26 Harbury x 13 + x 10 Claverdon x 12 Snitterfield x 10 Long Compton x 4 + x 4 Long Itchington x 10 Stockton x 12 Stretton on Fosse x 4 Claverdon x 12 Fenny Compton x 10 Tysoe x 2 Ilmington x 10 Enabling rural affordable housing

Thank you. sarahbt@wrccrural. org. uk 01789 842182 Enabling rural affordable housing

How we did it • Mr Bill Cook - Chair, Long Compton Parish Council • Mr Lynn Bowring - Chair, Great Alne Parish Council

Housing Development to Meet Local Needs How we did it in Great Alne

A bit about Great Alne v Local service village in Green Belt v 232 households v Includes conservation area and several listed buildings v Primary school, parish church, pub and village hall (memorial hall shared with Kinwarton parish)

How did it start? v. Triggered by Village Plan 2009 • Based on input from residents • Up to 20 new homes acceptable • Identified need for affordable homes for local residents • Triggered housing needs survey • Survey result: 7 affordable homes needed

What happened next? v. PC/WRCC Programme 2010 -2014 • Partnered with Warwickshire Rural Community Council, Rural Housing Enabler on board • Progress reported at PC meetings • Identified possible development sites (10 in all) • Evaluated sites, with input from SDC planning officers • Arrived at final short list of 2

Addition of open market homes v Early 2014: changes to funding schemes spurred need for private housing element v New survey on local need for open market housing v Survey outcome-10 new homes v Conclusion: total of 17 new homes required v PC asked RHE to approach owners of the shortlisted sites

SDC Core Strategy Complication v Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) • Independent survey, no local input • Identified additional possible site • Triggered development proposal for mixed development, at least 26 homes, some affordable, plus funding for school improvements v SDC ‘Call for Sites’ • SHLAA site, 7 hectares, up to 50 homes now specified • Two other sites, one previously shortlisted v WRCC Proposal, late 2014 • Shortlisted site selected on northern edge of village • 17 homes, of which 7 affordable • Funding available, housing association and developer identified, good quality outline scheme prepared

Parish Council Policy v Development should: • • Meet identified local need Be of high quality Be sympathetic to character of village Minimise impact on existing residents v WRCC proposal judged to meet criteria and should be supported v SHLAA proposal not supported

Communication with Residents v Progress reports at PC meetings and in quarterly newsletters v February 2015: public consultation in village • WRCC proposals exhibited • Response generally favourable, some concerns expressed • Proposals adapted in light of feedback v February 2016: more detailed proposals subject to second public consultation. Feedback again generally favourable

Recent Progress v Planning application approved by Planning Committee February 2017 • PC support important (Green Belt issues) • Acknowledged residents’ concerns • Satisfied that concerns have been addressed v Section 106 agreement close to agreement • PC involved in discussions v Work due to commence on site early July

Lessons v v v Demonstrably community-led Partnership working essential Evidence of local need must be sound Compromise may be necessary Patience needed (8 years and counting) Open communication, two-way, essential

Home Choice Plus The Council’s housing waiting list & allocating “Local Choice” homes Renata Mosz A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Who is on Home Choice Plus? A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Who is on Home Choice Plus? 3% Singles 25% 29% 7% 36% Couples without children Families with children* Pensioners/DLA Other households A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Who can go on Home Choice Plus? • Households seeking housing association homes in the District must join Home Choice Plus - also known as the Housing Waiting List or Register • Different for rent and shared ownership homes • Applicants need a local connection to the Home Choice Plus partnership area and a housing need (unless exemptions apply) • Eligibility for Home Choice Plus is assessed on application and when properties are allocated A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

What is the partnership area? Stratford-on-Avon District and most of Worcestershire • Bromsgrove District Council • Malvern Hills District Council • Worcester City Council • Wychavon District Council • Wyre Forest District Council Redditch Borough Council is not in the partnership area A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

How is local connection defined in the Home Choice Plus partnership area? • Current residence in the Home Choice Plus area for at least two years • Current employment in the Home Choice Plus area for at least 6 months • Current residence of a close family member for at least 5 years • Previous residence for three out of the last five years at the point of application A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Home Choice Plus local connection exemptions • Very few households i. e. ‒ People who are statutory homeless ‒ Some carers ‒ Armed forces applicants ‒ People moving for work ‒ Other special reasons A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

How are applications assessed? • In line with the Home Choice Plus Allocations Policy which prioritises the housing needs of applicants • Current Allocations Policy (June 2015) is more restrictive than previous policies ‒ Financial hardship; make the case if renting privately • Households local to this District are a higher priority than other households in the partnership area A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Home Choice Plus – the allocation process (1) 1. Housing association notifies Council of vacancy/vacancies 2. Properties advertised via Home Choice Plus 3. Applicants place bids 4. System generates shortlist 5. Housing Advice Team manually check shortlist to confirm parish local connection A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Home Choice Plus – the allocation process (2) 6. Bidders with a confirmed local parish connection ranked in housing need order 7. Households with the greatest need will be nominated by the Council to the housing association 8. Properties will be allocated by the housing association A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Home Choice Plus & Local Choice (1) • Local connections are given equal weighting • Local connections are not cumulative • Households with a local connection are considered in the order of their housing need A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Home Choice Plus & Local Choice (2) • All new housing association properties are advertised via Home Choice Plus • Applicants have to register an interest in these properties by bidding • New housing association homes can only be allocated to “qualifying households” • These households must have a qualifying local connection to the parish in which the properties are built A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Home Choice Plus & Local Choice (3) • Independent evidence is collated by the District Council to confirm parish local residence e. g. - Copies of full birth certificates - Access to Council Tax records for current residence of applicant households or their immediate family - Confirmation from employers of time employed, place of work etc. - Any other evidence as appropriate that could prove residence for the required period A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

How is local connection defined in s 106 legal agreements? • Agreed following parish council consultation 2013: ‒ Born in the parish or ‒ Currently lives in the parish and has done so for at least 12 months or ‒ Currently works in the parish and has done so for at least 12 months or ‒ Previously lived in the parish for at least 3 years or ‒ Has immediate family resident in the parish for at least 3 years. A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

S 106 versus Home Choice Plus local connection criteria • Assuming a household is on Home Choice Plus, a S 106 for a “Local Choice” scheme overrides Home Choice Plus policy • S 106 in perpetuity – unless all parties agree a variation which is a costly and lengthy process • Home Choice Plus policy does change – rent and shared ownership • Majority of people on Home Choice Plus live in the District and have done so for a long time A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Summary of Home Choice Plus • Households need to be registered with Home Choice Plus to be considered for housing • Households must place “bids” • All new properties are advertised via Home Choice Plus • Allocations will only be made to households who can demonstrate the relevant local parish connection and have the greatest housing need • Local connection categories have equal weighting A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Where can I find out more about Home Choice Plus? • Website https: //www. stratford. gov. uk/homesproperties/home-choice-plus. cfm • Contact the Housing Advice Team on 01789 260861 or housingadviceteam@stratford-dc. gov. uk • Martin Cowan, Housing Advice Manager, Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Elizabeth House, Church Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV 37 6 HX Telephone: 01789 260 849 Email: martin. cowan@stratford-dc. gov. uk A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Neighbourhood Plans Matthew Neal A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence

Statistics • Within the Core Strategy, the hierarchy of settlements is Stratford Town, 8 Main Rural Centres and 45 Local Service Villages (54 total). These are the settlements deemed as ‘sustainable locations’ for development. • Of these 54 communities: – 35 have approved designated neighbourhood areas – 2 NDPs have now been ‘made’ (adopted) – Long Compton, Kineton

‘Made’ NDP’s • Long Compton – scheme at Weston Court for 9 dwellings currently under construction and first example in the District of a site specifically allocated for a local needs community-led housing scheme through a NDP. • Kineton – Planning application currently with SDC for consideration for 8 dwellings on a site at Little Kineton adjacent to the sports club. The site was one of four allocations in the Kineton NDP.

Other NDP’s • 1 has recently passed referendum and will be adopted on 17 July – Salford Priors • 1 has its referendum this Thursday (29 th) and will be adopted on 17 th July – Bidford-on-Avon • 3 further NDPs have passed examination and are to be reported to Cabinet to receive endorsement to proceed to referendum – Wootton Wawen, Welford-on-Avon and Snitterfield

Other NDP work • 1 NDP is currently at Examination – Wilmcote & Pathlow • 1 NDP is at Regulation 16 (formal submission) consultation – Stratford-upon-Avon • 6 are between Regulation 14 (pre-submission) and Regulation 16 consultation • 3 are very close to being in a position to commence the Regulation 14 consultation

Other NDP work • 1 NDP is currently at Examination – Wilmcote & Pathlow • 1 NDP is at Regulation 16 (formal submission) consultation – Stratford-upon-Avon • 6 are between Regulation 14 (pre-submission) and Regulation 16 consultation • 3 are very close to being in a position to commence the Regulation 14 consultation

NDPs – Pro’s and con’s Due to the distribution criteria set out in Policies CS. 15 (Distribution of Development) and CS. 16 (Housing Development) of the Core Strategy, settlements below LSV level are not listed as sustainable locations for new development, although there is scope for small-scale community-led housing schemes through Policies CS. 15 and AS. 10 (Countryside and Villages).

NDPs – Pro’s and con’s Given that NDPs are meant to plan positively for development and ‘add value’ to the Core Strategy (in other words allocate development over and above that proposed through the Core Strategy) and there is no pressure for development to meet District wide needs in the smaller villages below the LSV threshold, neighbourhood plans may not necessarily be the right ‘tool’ for a community to promote local schemes or projects.

NDPs – Pro’s and con’s Communities need to consider: • What do they want the Plan to achieve? • Does the Core Strategy already cover the issues satisfactorily? • Do you have the resources, volunteers and time to produce a NDP? (potentially 2 to 3 year commitment end to end)

NDPs – Pro’s and con’s • A NDP provides an opportunity for local communities to directly shape development of their local area and set priorities for affordable housing provision but it must not conflict with strategic policies of the Development Plan (NPPF, CS, Practice Guidance). • However, it must be remembered that there is no requirement for a Parish/Town Council to prepare a NDP.

Funding • We are now in year three of the Department for Communities and Local Governmentfunded support programme, worth £ 22. 5 million for Neighbourhood Planning. • So far, the Government has awarded over £ 8 million in grant funding and £ 3. 1 million in technical support to neighbourhood planning groups.

Funding Examples of what you can use your grant for: Developing a website Training sessions for members of the steering group Help with putting together a project plan Undertaking surveys for evidence bas work (relevant for Housing Needs Surveys) • Help with developing the evidence base • Engaging a planning expert • Venue hire, publicity materials, printing and other costs associated with consultation • •

Funding • Applications for grant funding are administered by Locality via their ‘My Community’ website. All groups are eligible to apply for total grant funding of £ 9, 000 over the 3 year programme. • Further funding is available via the Big Lottery Fund through ‘Awards for All England’ which is a quick and easy way to get small lottery grants of between £ 300 and £ 10, 000 for grassroots and community activity that aims to improve life for local people and neighbourhoods. It doesn’t have a deadline and you can apply at any time. The grant can be used for community projects and pay for professional fees.

Parish Plans • If a community conclude that a NDP is not appropriate, a Parish Council could prepare a Parish Plan. This is more projects based, where NDPs are policy based. An up-to-date Housing Needs Survey would provide an excellent evidence base for a project/action in the Parish Plan for a community-led housing scheme. • However, it is worth noting that it is not essential to even prepare a Parish Plan to promote small-scale development which would meet a local need.

Rural Housing Schemes Whilst Core Strategy Policy CS. 15 sets out the distribution strategy for sustainable development, it doesn’t prevent any development in smaller communities below LSV level. Parts E and F of the policy state that smallscale community-led schemes which meet a need identified by the local community would be acceptable in principle, on sites within and adjacent to settlements. Policy AS. 10 is also relevant in this matter.

Rural Housing Schemes • Such schemes would need to be based on appropriate and up-to-date evidence such as a Housing Needs Survey. • If a community wishes to promote small-scale housing development and there is a recognised need, it is not a prerequisite to prepare a Neighbourhood or Parish Plan. The decision on which route to take would be the decision of the individual community.

Rural Housing Schemes However, given that a Neighbourhood Plan is a policy document that undergoes independent examination and once ‘made’ (adopted) forms part of the District’s Development Plan, a policy embedded in a NDP provides certainty for a community-led housing scheme.

NDP Advice Should you require any information on Neighbourhood Planning, please contact Matthew Neal, Policy Planner, SDC on 01789 260320 or via e-mail matthew. neal@stratford-dc. gov. uk

Any questions? A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Road to Excellence