5.119 The Council will publish Development Briefs for sites where special guidance for developers is merited. They will be prepared in consultation with interested parties, as appropriate, including for example the Parish Council, members of the public and the prospective developer, and will be taken into account as Supplementary Planning Documents and non-Statutory Planning Guidance in the determination of any planning application for the land concerned.
5.120 Village Design Statements are produced by local communities and will be used to influence the quality of new development to ensure that it retains the local distinctiveness of a village. Village Design Statements that the Council adopts as non-statutory planning guidance will carry more weight in the determination of planning applications than others that are not adopted. Where they have been adopted they will complement the consultation process and final production of Development Briefs.
5.121 The District Council produces ‘A Guide to Developers Contributions and other Planning Requirements’ which is revised annually. The guide confirms the principle that the Council will seek to negotiate a variety of community and environmental benefits from all new housing development, such as recreation space, affordable housing and transportation improvements depending upon the scale of the scheme. The guide is available from the Council.
H3
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5.122 In its determination of such planning applications, the Council will pay particular attention to the criteria set out in Policy H5. Planning permission will be granted for the forms of residential development set out in Policy H3. The development of these sites will be subject to the criteria set out in the other policies of the Local Plan. Taking all the policies of the Plan as a whole, not all sites will be deemed suitable for development. For example certain undeveloped areas of land form important features in the street scene and should be retained, whilst existing employment and community facility land and premises play an important role in the vitality and viability of a settlement; proposals for their development would be resisted. Elsewhere, some sites may only be suitable to provide one or two dwellings whilst other sites may be capable of more intensive development. The Council will require development to make efficient use of land depending upon the character of the site, its surroundings and its accessibility to facilities, local services and employment. One for one replacements remain acceptable in principle, although encouragement will be given for the site to be developed more efficiently.
5.123 The Council aims to make the best use of land and premises within settlements which have access to a range of facilities, services and jobs. Policy H3 potentially enables any type of building within a settlement to be converted to housing. Examples could include non-viable shops, under-used space above shops and under-used institutional buildings within settlement policy boundaries. In town centre locations which have good access to jobs and facilities by modes of transport other than the car, the Council will consider relaxing parking and other planning standards to enable higher density conversions to be achieved. The conversion of buildings which are vital to the range of services available in a settlement and the viability of a community will not be permitted.
5.124 Residential conversions have sometimes been undertaken without proper consideration of the longer term running costs of the units. Heating and cooking costs can be significant and lead to “fuel poverty” for the less well off living in poorly constructed dwellings. Domestic energy use, particularly in terms of heating, can be significantly improved with a range of measures, including super insulation, “build tight - ventilate right”, simple thermostatic controls and good heating advice. The Council believes that the requirement for energy efficiency measures in all conversions will result in environmental, economic and social improvements for residents of the District.
5.125 There are approximately 1,700 empty properties in East Hampshire. Many are empty because they are second homes or because their occupant is in care. However about 400 have been empty for over six months. Nationally, empty homes could meet a large part of the housing demand. In East Hampshire there is limited scope for empty homes to contribute to the District urban capacity. The District Council is continuing to take a proactive role in bringing empty properties back into the housing market. Further information is available from the Council’s Housing Team.
H4 |
5.126 In recent years there appears to have been a bias towards the provision of larger houses and developments providing a limited range of dwelling types, sizes and tenures in the District. The District Council considers it essential that a wide range of accommodation is provided, to meet the varied housing requirements of East Hampshire. The Government’s household projections and forecasts carried out by Hampshire County Council suggest that an increasingly high proportion of the new homes will be required by single person households. Some of these households will enter the ‘normal’ housing market, but a significant number will require one or two bedroom accommodation because they do not need or cannot afford larger dwellings. In applying this Policy, the Council will have regard to the particular requirements of each settlement as indicated in the Parish Housing Profile. This approach is intended to create, contribute towards, or sustain, a balanced community.
5.127 Policy H4 requires all new housing development to reflect the housing requirement of the settlement within which it is proposed. An assessment of the housing requirement of each settlement is provided in the Parish Housing Profiles published by the Council. The Parish Housing Profiles identify the stock of dwellings within each parish, an analysis of the changes to the stock over recent years, an analysis of the emerging housing requirements, as shown in both the Council’s most recent Housing Needs Survey and the current affordable housing needs as identified in the Joint Housing Register. In PPG 3, the Government generally encourages the greater provision of smaller dwellings, although they may not be appropriate in every case. In the case of a new or extended dwelling designed to incorporate space for home-working, the Council may attach conditions and/or seek to enter into an agreement to restrict the type of commercial activity undertaken in it and to allow only for the personal use of the building by its owner or occupier.
5.128 The Parish Housing profiles will be used when assessing planning applications involving the creation of all new dwellings to determine whether the housing proposed will contribute to the mix of dwelling type, size and tenure which will ensure that the balance of the community is maintained or enhanced.
H5 Schemes of 30-50 dwellings per hectare, or more in the case of sites close to local facilities and/or a good public transport service, must:
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5.129 The provision of a variety and mix of housing types and sizes, particularly single person households will mean that residential densities will also vary much more than has previously been the case. As only a relatively small part of the total housing stock of the District is currently for single households it is likely that developers will wish to meet market demand by constructing homes at the smaller end of the size range. This will inevitably result in higher densities of development than the 30 dwellings per hectare suggested in Paragraph 5.24. In order to help to minimise the need to travel and to encourage the use of public transport, higher density residential development will be encouraged around public transport centres which are close to local facilities. The District Council considers that higher density development is not appropriate in every case. There may be instances where on certain sites in certain settlements, such matters as landscape, tree cover and the need to contribute towards a range of dwellings should outweigh that general advice and the provisions of relevant local policies. It would also generally be inappropriate for higher density development on edge-of-settlement sites unless the scheme is of such a high design standard as to justify development in such a sensitive location.
5.130 Planning standards such as car parking requirements, minimum rear
gardens, on site public open space and height restrictions have a significant
impact on the density at which a site can be developed. Following research
into parking space usage at affordable housing schemes within the district’s
main towns, the standards have been reduced for future affordable housing
schemes. The provision of communal gardens, rather than individual gardens
is another means of using land more efficiently. Where a developer can show
that a site is close to a town or village centre, with good public transport,
accessibility to employment, shops and facilities, the Council may apply
planning standards flexibly to enable the best use of land. High quality
design of higher density schemes is critical; schemes proposing the use
of flexible planning standards must be of a very high quality design which
will enhance the town or village environment
and contribute to the urban renaissance. Higher density schemes provide
opportunities for integrating more energy efficiency measures into the design
and layout of the development. Such measures will be sought in all cases.
5.131 Business uses carried on from home are a feature of the District and are likely to increase as advanced communications technology has become available to home users. There are potential benefits from more home businesses including reducing the need to travel to work, increased use of local services and contributions to the local community.
5.132 There are also potential problems when noisy, polluting or traffic generating businesses are poorly located in relation to surrounding residents. This is more likely where home working extensions are permitted to existing dwellings.
H6
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5.133 It is an important element of the Local Plan’s housing strategy that the best use should be made of existing dwellings, and that any loss of residential accommodation is avoided, unless absolutely necessary. In shopping areas, the change of use of ground floor areas to retail and community use may be acceptable, subject to the other policies of the Plan. In town centres, residential accommodation plays an important part in contributing to the variety of size and tenure of the housing stock. Loss of accommodation above ground floor commercial premises will be resisted unless there are environmental reasons for setting aside the Policy.
5.134 Where a use is proposed to replace a dwelling which cannot be viably upgraded, the developer will be expected to demonstrate that every effort has been made to sell or let the residence at a realistic market price and that the costs of upgrading would not bring an adequate return on the investment.
H7
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5.135 Many houses exist in the District which could be used more efficiently and which are ideally suited for conversion to provide smaller and less expensive homes. The Council will permit the subdivision of appropriate houses. Examples of such suitable houses include large underused dwellings within or on the edge of settlements which could be converted to multiple units, well located general housing which could be divided into two independent units and the subdivision of larger dwellings outside settlement policy boundaries. Policy H3 permits subdivision within settlement policy boundaries. Policy H7 deals with proposals outside settlement policy boundaries. The use of communal gardens and reduced car parking provision may be appropriate when considering proposals for subdivision. Outside settlement policy boundaries the reduction of planning standards for any proposal to subdivide a dwelling will depend on balancing the more efficient use of the building with the locational and amenity aspects of the scheme. Particularly thorough consideration of the environmental criteria of the Policy will required when the dwelling is a Listed Building or is in a Conservation Area.
5.136 Residential subdivisions have sometimes been undertaken without proper consideration of the longer term running costs of the units. Heating and cooking costs can be significant and lead to “fuel poverty” for the less well off living in poorly constructed or converted dwellings. Domestic energy use, particularly in terms of heating, can be significantly improved with a range of measures, including super insulation, “build tight - ventilate right”, simple thermostatic controls and good heating advice. The Council believes that the requirement for energy efficiency measures in all subdivisions will result in environmental, economic and social improvements for residents of the District.
H8
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5.137 The last District-wide survey, identified 250 Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), in the form of bedsits, multiple paying accommodation, house sharing or lodgings. Whilst this is only a small proportion of the District housing stock, HMOs are important in providing affordable accommodation for some of the most vulnerable sections of the community, particularly young people and those who are socially or economically disadvantaged. They are often the only choice of housing for these people who may otherwise be homeless. Whilst HMOs provide a cost effective solution to meeting their needs, inadequate amenity, overcrowding, poor fire and other health and safety standards are common. Many of these problems are controlled under Environmental Health and Housing legislation, however, there are issues which are best addressed through planning policy.
5.138 In planning terms, the definition of a HMO is not straightforward. Prospective applicants should discuss their proposals with the Council at an early stage. Put simply, a house or flat becomes a HMO when it is organised in such a way that it becomes occupied by a number of separate households that share certain facilities in common but also have their own separate private rooms. This intensification of use can result in increased noise both within a property and in relation to adjoining properties, inadequate space about a property for parking, dustbins, recycling bins and other domestic paraphernalia and is perceived as having an adverse impact on the character of existing residential areas.5.139 The demand for HMO occupation is such that it is considered inappropriate to encourage them at locations which do not meet the sustainability criteria in the Local Plan; their occupants need the greatest accessibility to jobs, services and facilities. They are normally best located in the larger settlements of Alton, Petersfield, Whitehill/Bordon, Horndean, Grayshott, Liphook and Liss. However, proposals in other settlement policy boundaries may be appropriate subject to the criteria of the Policy. It is important that the character of existing residential areas is maintained; areas of smaller properties are least likely to be able to accommodate the changes resulting from conversion to a HMO, therefore HMOs are more appropriate in larger dwellings, i.e. houses with four or more bedrooms, where the intensification of use is more easily accommodated.
5.140 In order to reduce the impact of HMOs on existing residential amenity, proposals will be expected to provide covered dustbin stores, adequate screened drying areas, cycle storage, sound insulation to party walls and floors to the latest Building Regulation Standards and energy optimisation measures. Car parking provision should be in accordance with the Council’s adopted standards, although these may be reduced in locations well served by other means of transport and where the applicant can demonstrate that there is particular justification for a reduction in the standards.
5.141 The above proposals would be covered by the HMO Management Regulations which apply to all HMOs. Further details are available from the Private Sector Housing Manager in Housing Services.
H9 Grayshott Headley Horndean Liphook Liss Petersfield Rowlands Castle Steep In order to maintain the important contribution which they make to the variety of District-wide environments, the character of the local environment and the wide range of accommodation available in the District, development will only be permitted that maintains the overall character of the area and does not have a detrimental impact on it. Within these special housing areas the following will apply:
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5.142 Within the District there are certain residential streets and areas which have been developed at a low density and provide substantial homes set in large plots, often with mature trees around them. The District Council considers that the areas listed in Policy H9 have a special character which should be protected from further intensification of development or change of use in order to retain the important contribution which they make both to the variety of the housing stock and the street scene.
H10
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5.143 A special housing policy has operated successfully in Headley Down for a number of years, maintaining the character of the area. Although much of the area has been developed in accordance with the criteria set out in Policy H10, certain areas still remain to be developed. The District Council considers it essential that these plots are developed to the same standard as the rest of the Special Housing Area.
5.144 Following a review of all the settlements in the District, three other areas have been identified where an H10 policy designation would enable a more efficient use of land, as required by PPG3: ‘Housing’, whilst retaining the special character which makes a significant contribution to the environment of the settlements. The areas are at Beech and Holybourne. They retain their character of relatively low density housing set in well-wooded plots. It will be important to retain as many trees and landscape features as possible, to maintain the existing low density character and a range of housing in the District. Within Headley Down a minimum plot size of 0.07 hectares (excluding land in the highway) will be maintained. Within the new areas a minimum plot size of 0.2 hectares will be maintained.
5.145 In Beech and Holybourne, an assessment of the plot sizes and the impact of development on the character of the area means that the potential for development is limited; the existing plots range from more than a hectare to less than a quarter of a hectare. Within Beech and Holybourne plot sizes will need to be maintained at a minimum of 0.2 hectares, to ensure that the character of the areas is not harmed. This means that the maximum density within these areas will be 14 dwellings per hectare in Headley Down, five dwellings per hectare in Beech and Holybourne, which is very low. However, there may be cases where even this density is too high to ensure that the character of the area is retained. Care must be taken to ensure that the new dwellings are in keeping with their plot size and are not over-dominant; a variety of house designs should be used.
5.146 The price of housing in the District and the relative scarcity of housing for rent mean that a significant proportion of households are excluded from the open housing market. The Council will enable more of these households to meet their housing needs through a number of approaches, these include:
5.148 By enabling the provision of affordable housing the Council is helping those in greatest need of housing and those least able to purchase or rent open market housing. Affordable Housing means housing available over the long term to local households who are not able to meet their own housing needs through buying or renting on the open market. The Councils' Housing Needs Surveys have proven that the best way of meeting the needs of these people is in rented affordable housing normally provided by a Registered Social Landlord (RSL), usually a Housing Association. The Council recognises that there is a limited role for alternative tenure types such as intermediate renting, shared ownership, low cost market and an element of key worker housing where appropriate housing. Whilst such alternative tenure types need not be provided by a RSL, arrangements must be made to ensure that the benefit of such housing should not be restricted to the first occupiers, but should normally be retained for occupants in housing need.
5.149 The Council undertakes a comprehensive District-wide survey of housing need every three to four years, and in September 2002 the fifth survey since 1989 was undertaken. The latest survey, called the Housing Needs Survey 2002, was carried out by consultants and looked at income, house prices and other local data in order to assess the overall picture of housing and its affordability. It is important that this information is regularly updated, therefore further Housing Needs Surveys will be undertaken during the Plan period. The detailed results of the Housing Needs Survey are important but will change over the Plan period as further Surveys are completed. The Council's Housing Team should be contacted for details of the latest Housing Needs Survey.
5.150 The 2002 Housing Needs Survey confirms a number of important issues which the Council must address in order to seek to balance the housing market:
5.151 The issues raised by the 2002 Housing Needs Survey together with other local factors indicate to the Council that there are exceptional local constraints to meeting the housing needs of the District through the provision of affordable housing. The Council will therefore seek to maximise all opportunities to provide affordable housing to meet this need.
5.152 In view of the scale of the identified need for affordable housing, the District-wide target for the provision of affordable housing during the Plan period is 1,000 units, i.e. 100 per annum. This is a net figure excluding re-lets of existing stock and so this level will have to be met on sites coming forward in the following way - as an element of affordable housing on the larger housing sites under Policy H11; on sites outside settlement policy boundaries under Policy H12; and other sites coming forward solely for affordable housing within settlement policy boundaries.
H11 |
5.153 The District Council will negotiate with applicants to secure a legal agreement to ensure that the affordable housing is available in continuity for local people who need to stay in the area, but who cannot afford to rent or buy a home locally on the open housing market.
5.154 On larger housing developments where affordable housing units will be provided, a range of tenures should be promoted, including affordable housing for rent, shared ownership, an element of housing for key workers where appropriate and intermediate rented housing. The mix of tenures will be determined on a scheme by scheme basis, depending on local demand, but housing for rent will continue to be the predominant tenure required to help those in greatest housing need.
5.155 National site size thresholds allow local planning authorities to seek to negotiate suitable elements of affordable housing on housing sites in accordance with the site size thresholds of 25 dwellings or 1 hectare, as stated in Circular 6/98. The Council considers that there are exceptional local constraints to achieving adequate amounts of affordable housing in all the larger settlements (more than 3,000 population) to justify reducing the site size thresholds to 15 dwellings or 0.5 hectare sites. Within Special Housing Character Areas covered by Policies H9 and H10, the national site size thresholds will continue to apply.
5.156 Within settlement policy boundaries of rural settlements with a population of less than 3,000 the exceptional local constraints on achieving adequate amounts of affordable housing are even greater because of the scarcity and size of available sites. It is considered that there is justification for reducing the site size thresholds in rural settlements to sites relating to proposals for at least 5 dwellings or at least 0.15 hectare in size. The Council will monitor the amount of affordable housing being provided in these settlements to ensure that the reduced thresholds continue to be justified. Housing need data is regularly updated through the Joint Housing Register, available from the Council's Housing Team. The provision of this data is an important part of continuing to justify reducing site size thresholds in particular settlements during the Plan period.
5.157 The element of affordable housing sought on Policy H11 schemes will be determined on a site-by-site basis taking into account site and market conditions. In this respect, affordable housing is best sited on land that is well served by public transport and is convenient to local facilities and services.
5.158 On Policy H11 sites where an element of affordable housing is appropriate it should be provided within the site. In exceptional cases, where the Council and the developer both consider that a financial contribution would be more appropriate than 'on-site' provision of affordable housing at any particular Policy H11 site, then the Council will seek a level of financial contribution that will actually result in the provision of affordable housing (whether via new build or conversion) within East Hampshire. Affordable housing is appropriate on all housing sites that meet the Government's criteria set out in paragraph 10 of Circular 6/98.
5.159 Where both the Council and the developer agree that an element of affordable housing would be appropriate for a Policy H11 site, but that it would be preferable for the provision to be off-site, a payment in lieu in the form of a developer contribution will be considered. The sum involved must be adequate to ensure that affordable housing can be provided elsewhere, as required by paragraph 22 of Circular 6/98. This payment will be spent on providing affordable housing in East Hampshire. The Council will use a consistent method for calculating the sum based on 100 percent of Housing Corporation Total Cost Indicators (TCI's). These are updated every year and take account of the location, type and size of property and maximum rent levels that a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) can charge in the District. The TCI tables give “benchmark” costs for development based on average costs for land, building and for all on-costs. The use of these nationally agreed and locally relevant TCI tables provide a reasonable methodology for calculating developers contributions in lieu of affordable housing. Details of the formulas and actual numbers can be obtained from the Council's Housing Enabling Manager and will be published in the ‘Guide to Developers’ Contributions’.
H12
All six pre-conditions will need to be satisfied before permission is granted. Applicants will be required to ensure that any dwellings permitted under this Policy will always be available as affordable housing for local people who cannot afford to rent or buy a home locally on the open housing market. This should be achieved through an appropriate legal agreement with the District Council. |
5.160 The District Council is very aware of the changes which have taken place in home ownership in the District and particularly in the more rural settlements. Opportunities should be provided to enable residents to remain in their village, for example, by providing low-cost housing for the young and low income groups or specialist accommodation for the elderly. Although the Council considers it has allocated sufficient land to meet most of the likely housing requirements of the District, it acknowledges that it may not always be possible for this to be achieved. If the Council can be satisfied that there is a genuine need for land to be released for housing development outside a settlement policy boundary to meet the needs of a particular community, then the Council may be prepared to grant planning permission under Policy H12.
5.161 The development of affordable housing on the edge of settlements or within rural villages under Policy H12 will only be granted when there is little prospect of sufficient affordable housing coming forward from Policy H11 sites and committed sites to meet a specific local housing need.5.162 When considering sites under Policy H12 the Council will need to be satisfied by way of a recent relevant housing needs survey or through the Joint Housing Register and Empty Homes Register that there is a need for affordable housing in the settlement concerned. The Council will also need to be satisfied that the people expressing a need to live in the settlement:
5.163 The range of sites which may be considered suitable for low-cost housing schemes under Policy H12 will be limited. Ideally the site should adjoin the existing built-up edge of the settlement, although in the case of some dispersed villages this may not always be possible.
5.164 General market housing or mixed development consisting of high value housing used to cross-subsidise affordable housing on the same site is inappropriate and will not be permitted on schemes considered under Policy H12.
5.165 Any scheme permitted under Policy H12 should be well related in terms of scale, appearance and character to the settlement and be capable of being supported by the facilities available in the settlement (e.g. shop, school, public house, public transport). The size of the scheme will vary with the size of the settlement concerned and the extent of housing need identified, in accordance with the Council's non-statutory planning guidance implementation of the ‘Policy for Affordable Housing’. Any new homes permitted should also be capable of being serviced by the community they will join.
5.166 The District Council will need to be satisfied that homes permitted under Policies H11 and H12 will be available for local people who are in need for as long as that need continues. On schemes permitted under Policy H11 the Council will negotiate with applicants to secure an appropriate Section 106 Obligation or other legal agreement to control the occupancy of the homes. The Council recognises that there is a limited role for alternative tenure types such as intermediate renting, shared ownership and an element of key worker housing where appropriate. Applicants will be required to enter into a Section 106 Obligation or other legal agreement to control the occupancy of the homes permitted under Policy H12.
5.167 Where occupancy criteria are included as part of condition or planning obligations, a cascade approach may be preferable. This should ensure that occupants will always be found for any accommodation, thus safeguarding an adequate stream of revenue for those managing the development (and thus enabling loans to be raised for the development), whilst ensuring that people in local housing need take priority. Under this approach the eligibility criteria would be restricted to local people. Under Policy H11 “local” in this context means housing people who initially have connections or have had previous connections with the settlement or parish. Consideration may then be given to the adjoining parish and finally the wider District. Under Policy H12 “local “ in this context means housing people who have connections or have had previous long standing connections with the settlement or parish and this should normally continue with the re-lets.
5.168 Any scheme permitted under Policies H11 and H12 should be of a high design standard and make use of good quality materials. The scheme should be designed to fit in and complement the existing settlement, it should not detract from it. It is recognised that many registered social landlords recognise “fuel poverty” as a problem for their tenants and are at the forefront of incorporating energy optimisation features in their housing, recognising the longer term benefits which can be achieved. The District Council would expect to see energy optimisation as a feature of all affordable housing permitted under Policies H11 - H12. In the past, cheaper materials and designs have been argued for in order to obtain lower cost units; in this case the Council expects the land price paid to be the low cost element of the scheme.
5.169 Further detail on the implementation of Policies H11 and H12 can be found in the Council's non-statutory planning guidance documents ‘Implementation of the Policy for Affordable Housing’ and 'Guide to Developers' Contributions and other Planning Requirements', both of which are revised annually.
H13
Outside settlement policy boundaries accommodation designed specifically for the elderly or as rest or nursing homes will only be permitted where it involves the change of use and conversion of large detached houses. Outside settlement policy boundaries all the criteria listed above will apply. Extensions to existing accommodation for the elderly or rest or nursing homes will only be permitted provided a need is demonstrated, and the scale of development is appropriate and in character with the surrounding area. All development covered by this Policy may be permitted at higher densities than would be appropriate for general housing. |
5.170 The 2001 Census reveals that the proportion of over 65s in East Hampshire was about 16%. There are marked variations in the distribution of the elderly across the District ranging from 8.1% in Whitehill Parish to as high as 27.8% in Grayshott and 20.1% in Petersfield. Considerable concern has been expressed by local residents and providers of medical and other support services, that certain parts of the District are receiving an excessive number of development designed specifically for the elderly, which are in turn causing severe strain on the support services and an imbalance in the age structure of communities.
5.171 This is a matter which will be closely monitored. It may be necessary to introduce a policy if, in the light of future developments, certain settlements are indeed unable to cope with a marked increase in the number of elderly people living in their community; a review of parking standards may also be required. For the purposes of Policy H13 an elderly person will be defined as a person who has reached statutory retirement age.
5.172 Adequate heating is a major problem facing the elderly and the infirm and can have a significant impact on their health, particularly during the winter. The District Council will therefore require all elderly persons’, rest and nursing home developments to optimise energy efficiency through the implementation of Policy H13. Further advice is available from the Council.
5.173 Hampshire County Council forecasts reveal that the population of Hampshire will contain an increasing number of elderly people including a significant number who will be living well into their 80s. The main thrust of community care is to enable people to remain in their own homes with the help of adaptations and peripatetic services. In order to meet this demand for people to remain in their own homes, developers are encouraged to build lifetime homes which can be easily adapted as people get older and frailer. In addition residential units will still need to be provided that have been specifically designed and located to meet the needs of the elderly, both active and frail.
5.174 The Council has published a set of Planning Guidelines to give more detailed advice about the forms of accommodation most suited to meet the needs of the elderly and infirm and the most appropriate locations for them. Sheltered accommodation and retirement dwellings should be built within settlement policy boundaries on level sites with easy access to shops, public transport, entertainment and public facilities. Accommodation for the frail elderly and those in need of rest or nursing can be located elsewhere in a settlement or, on occasions, in converted large dwellings outside settlement policy boundaries.
5.175 Changes of use and conversions to accommodation for the elderly, e.g. rest and nursing homes, outside settlement policy boundaries will only be favourably considered in respect of larger, detached properties in their own grounds, which are no longer suitable, by their size, for normal family occupation, or other residential use such as sub-division into small units. These properties will have to meet the appropriate access and parking standards and the level of provision of similar accommodation in the area and its effect on health and welfare services will be carefully considered.
5.176 Extensions to existing elderly persons’ accommodation, rest or nursing homes outside settlement policy boundaries for additional residents and facilities will only be permitted where it can be demonstrated that there is a real need. The level of intensification that will be permitted once a need is proven will depend on the type of accommodation being proposed and on how sustainable development in such a location would be. Many of these buildings are already large and so it is essential that the size of any extensions should be in scale with the existing building, ensure that the extended building would not dominate the plot or its surroundings and would not generate significant additional trips to an unsustainable location.
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H14
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5.177 The District Council recognises that there will be occasions when the staffing needs of farms, forestry holdings, and other enterprises in the countryside change, and additional staff accommodation is required. Provided a genuine functional need for this extra accommodation can be proven together with evidence of the financial viability of the enterprise, then the Council will be prepared to grant planning permission. A functional need to live at a particular site could be justified for example where the care of animals or agricultural processes require immediate attention at short notice. Financial viability is assessed in terms of the enterprise having been established for at least three years, profitable for at least one of them, being currently financially sound and having a clear prospect of remaining so.
5.178 The size of a new staff dwelling should be commensurate with the established functional requirement of the enterprise. Dwellings which are unusually large in relation to the needs of the enterprise, or unusually expensive to construct in relation to the projected long term income of the enterprise will not be permitted. It is the requirements of the enterprise rather than the owner or occupier which will determine the size of the dwelling, although the family circumstances of the occupant will be taken into account. In general an agricultural worker’s dwelling should not exceed 140 square metres, measured externally, inclusive of all living accommodation and farm office.
5.179 In certain circumstances, however, permission may only be given initially for temporary accommodation on the site until such time as the genuine functional need and financial viability of the enterprise can be proven. In order to ensure that the accommodation is always available for staff use, their occupation will be strictly limited to full-time workers (and their immediate dependants) who are employed in farming or forestry or other enterprise who must live on the site rather than in a nearby settlement. If it is found that a unit of accommodation previously associated with the holding or establishment has been sold or let separately in the previous five years then planning permission will not be granted. Optimisation of energy efficiency is important to try and off-set the unsustainability of the isolated locations where such dwellings often need to be built.
| H15
Where a dwelling is proven to be no longer needed for the restricted occupancy, the Council will consider the following two alternatives:
Only when all the criteria have been complied with and the alternatives failed will an occupancy condition be removed. |
5.180 The Council may be prepared to relax an occupancy condition on an existing agricultural or forestry worker’s dwelling to allow its occupancy by a worker connected with other enterprises in the countryside, where it can be proven to be surplus to the functional requirements and where this would achieve the proper management of the enterprise and the other criteria of the Policy can be satisfied. The negotiation for use of the dwelling as low-cost housing will be in partnership with a registered social landlord.
5.181 When considering planning applications for new dwellings, or the relaxation of occupancy conditions, the background and history of the enterprise will be assessed in accordance with Annex I of PPG7 - ‘The Countryside-Environmental Quality and Economic and Social Development’.
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H16
In all cases proposals will be subject to:
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5.182 Central Government Policy PPG3: ‘Housing’ (March 2000) is to “provide wider housing opportunity and choice and a better mix in the size, type and location of housing than is currently available, and seek to create mixed communities”. Outside settlement policy boundaries relatively few new dwellings will be permitted and therefore the dwelling stock is fairly static. It is important to maintain the variety of existing dwelling types and sizes in accordance with Government Policy. The trend of replacing and extending dwellings outside settlement policy boundaries creates larger and larger dwellings which could ultimately result in a very limited range of dwelling types being available. The Policy applies development restrictions to dwellings outside settlement policy boundaries to ensure that the existing variety in the housing stock is not diminished through excessive replacement and extension of dwellings.
5.183 Over the last few decades there has been a clear trend towards larger properties in the countryside, many of which were created by the expansion of smaller properties at a time when the District-wide housing needs surveys identify a continuing need for smaller, less expensive accommodation.
5.184 It is critical that a range of dwelling types and sizes should be available within settlement policy boundaries. Although many new dwellings will be small, the existing stock will need to be monitored to check that no imbalances are created through an excessive number of extensions being built. If problems are identified then a Supplementary Planning Document will be introduced to address the specific issues.
5.185 To help users of the Policy an explanatory table is shown below.
5.186 The Policy effectively identifies four categories of dwelling size: small dwellings of up to 66 square metres of original floorspace; a mid-range of dwellings from 67 - 266 square metres of original floorspace; large dwellings of between 267- 400 square metres of original floorspace; and very large dwellings of over 400 square metres of original floorspace. The “original floorspace” includes roof space which was originally designed as habitable space and cellars, provided that they existed at the effective date, i.e. 1st April 1974 or, in the case of a more recent dwelling, the date when it was built.
| SIZE OF DWELLING ON 1ST APRIL 1974 | 1 - 66 SQ METRES | 67 - 266 SQ METRES | 267 - 400 SQ METRES | 401 SQ METRES AND ABOVE |
| EXTENSIONS PERMITTED | Up to a maximum dwelling size of 100 Sq Metres | Up to a total maximum increase of 50% | Up to a maximum dwelling size of 400 Sq Metres | No limits, subject to all other policies of the Plan |
| REPLACEMENTS PERMITTED | Up to a maximum dwelling size of 100 Sq Metres | Up to a total maximum increase of 50% | Up to a maximum dwelling size of 400 Sq Metres | No limits, subject to all other policies of the Plan |
5.187 In the case of an existing replacement dwelling constructed after 1st April 1974, the “original dwelling” is that which existed on the site at 1st April 1974. In all cases extension or replacement must be to a high standard of design and must take full account of the other policies of the Plan.
5.188 For the purpose of this Policy, extensions (both existing and proposed) include any built extension to the dwelling and (unless conditioned for non-habitable use) outbuildings and garages within five metres of the dwelling. The extensions allowed by this Policy include any extension allowance under Permitted Development Rights. Further extensions to dwellings that have already been replaced up to or beyond the maximum allowance will not be permitted. Replacement dwellings should be on or adjacent to the site of the original dwelling and the removal of the original dwelling will be required by condition. The Council will expect applicants to provide accurate information on the size of their existing dwelling at the time of submitting their planning application for an extension or replacement dwelling.
5.189 The Policy does not apply to dwellings subject to an agricultural occupancy restriction. Extensions and replacement of agricultural dwellings will not normally be permitted.
5.190 The District Council considers that dwellings outside settlement policy boundaries are less sustainably located than those within settlements because they rely on cars for access to a range of facilities, services and jobs. In order to offset this negative impact the Council will expect all replacement dwellings and extensions permitted under the Policy to be orientated, designed and constructed so that energy efficiency is optimised and so that materials from the original dwelling are re-used wherever possible.
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H17 |
5.191 Established mobile homes make an important contribution to the dwelling stock of East Hampshire, enabling people to have a home who either cannot afford to buy or rent a permanent dwelling or who do not wish to live in a permanent dwelling. The District-wide housing needs survey undertaken by the District Council in 1996 identified a need for affordable housing in all areas of the District. The loss of mobile homes would exacerbate this problem. The Council will ensure that the existing mobile home parks in the District are retained.
5.192 Applications for mobile homes will be treated on their merits and will be subject to the same criteria as permanent housing. However, there will be occasions when it will not be possible to grant planning permission for mobile homes since they cannot always meet the design and environmental criteria required for some development sites.
| H18
Planning permission will not be granted for the replacement of lawful gypsy sites by permanent dwellings or other uses unless it can clearly be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Council that there is no genuine need or likely future need for gypsy sites in the locality. |
5.193 The District Council recognises that there is a need to plan for the special needs of gypsies. Circular 1/94 deals with gypsy sites and planning. The Council will keep under review the needs of gypsies in the Plan area in the light of information, provided by the County Council about the gypsy population and trends. Policy H18 sets out criteria to consider applications for gypsy sites. Although locations outside existing settlements may be acceptable, any site should be within a reasonable distance of local services and facilities and be acceptable in landscape terms. In view of the mixed uses which arise from many gypsies’ desire to run their business from the site on which caravans are stationed, it is important that any proposal involving such a use complies with Policies P1 - P6 to ensure that there is no adverse effect on existing residents from noise, fumes or other disturbances which could arise from the use of the site.
5.194 It is also important that the site has a satisfactory highway access. In accordance with Central Government guidance contained in Circular 1/94 and PPG7, it will not be appropriate, as a rule, to make provision for gypsy sites in areas of open land where development is severely restricted, for example within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, the best and most versatile agricultural land and other protected areas. Where such sites are permitted the Council may impose conditions restricting the proportion of the site which can be covered by equipment or used for business operations, the hours during which such equipment can be tested or repaired or during which the business operations can take place, and/or to limit the number of days when gypsy caravans may be permitted to stay on a transit site. The District has a limited stock of sites for the accommodation of gypsies. The loss of these sites to other uses is likely to result in further applications on green field sites contrary to the countryside policies of this Local Plan.
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5.195 The District currently has one permanent Travelling Showperson’s site on Road Hill, Catherington measuring 0.56 hectares, an associated site also on Road Hill measuring 0.25 hectares and a site off Grayshott Road, Headley measuring 2.85 hectares. The large site off Road Hill has permanent planning permission which was granted in 1997. The second site at Road Hill is a long established site which does not benefit from a planning permission or a lawful development certificate but which is immune from enforcement action by virtue of it having been in existence in excess of 10 years. The site at Grayshott received consent in December 2004.
5.196 Travelling Showpeople’s sites must meet the criteria set out in the above Policy which includes the general locational requirements set out in Circular 22/91. It is also necessary that a long term view is taken over land provision for these sites as the requirements are very specific and difficult to achieve. Given the difficulty in finding new sites which meet these requirements it is essential that sites which are established and which meet the requirements are not lost. Loss of these permanent sites is likely to result in demand for further sites which increases pressure for release of green field land contrary to the countryside policies of this Local Plan. Conversely, however, it is important that permanent permission is not granted to sites which do not fully meet the Policy criteria. The Council continues to examine the needs of local travelling showpeople.