Cabinet have approved new guidance on affordable housing
The council’s Cabinet has just approved new guidance on affordable housing, and on the housing mix in any new developments in Kirklees.
The public were invited to consult on the new guidance late last year, helping shape the end result.
What’s included in the guidance?
A new Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) has been written which provides guidance on new housing developments. This makes sure a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bed homes are created within any new housing scheme. This new guidance is all about making sure we’re meeting the local need for housing. It dictates when affordable housing should be provided. Including what type of affordable housing is required, and how this should be designed and delivered.
The SPD also includes new guidance for housing developments in town centres, including Huddersfield and Dewsbury. It looks at how we can meet local housing needs whilst also supporting the existing town centre, and provide for mixed and balanced communities.
It also sets out how we can make best use of existing buildings. Making sure both building conversions and new-build residential developments are well designed and provide high quality homes.
What happens now?
The new SPD is now a ‘material planning consideration’, which means it applies to any new housing development of more than ten homes.
Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Growth & Regeneration, says:
“We have a growing need for quality, affordable housing, not just locally but nationally. This document, which Kirklees residents have helped shape, sets out guidelines for all future housing developments in Kirklees and will make sure we’re delivering what local people need. It’s about making sure we’re not just providing great new homes but genuinely affordable ones too.”