DC Casebook: Housing: New build - Need for affordable homes found unclear

Planning, 22 August 2008

The appellant agreed that open market housing would be unacceptable because of the national park authority's strict control on such development. He relied on a housing needs study showing that the cost of a house for first-time buyers in the area was prohibitively high, with even a 50 per cent investment in a shared ownership property being outside the reach of most households.

The inspector noted that the study applied to many other parishes as well as the one in which the appeal site lay. A proper analysis would show only one household able to afford a shared ownership property living in the area, he found. In his opinion, the appellant's separate survey gave only a broad indication of the aspirations of households to own a property outright rather than have a part-share in a home. In his view, this did not constitute a clear assessment of local housing need.

Setting aside these concerns, the inspector went on to decide whether the houses would be genuinely affordable. The appellant explained that local residents would be able to buy a minimum of 75 per cent of the equity, with the balance owned by a housing association. The inspector was unclear whether assumptions on sale prices, repayment costs and mortgage availability were realistic. Because no legal mechanism had been put in place to ensure that the dwellings would remain affordable to local people, he dismissed the appeal.

DCS Number 100-056-667

Inspector Chris Hoult; Written representations.