Plan to improve new developments stalled by Government

An innovative plan to improve the quality and suitability of future developments and to ensure a supply of affordable housing in Sevenoaks District has been set back after intervention by the Government Office for the South East (GOSE).
 
In September, Sevenoaks District Council drew up a Draft Interim Housing Policy for consultation. The policy set out to improve the supply of affordable housing in the area by setting out strict new criteria for planning applications in the District and address issues of over supply.
 
Under the new policy, a predominant part of any new proposal for a residential development must consist of affordable housing, including market discounted housing and shared ownership housing.
 
As part of the consultation, the policy was considered by GOSE.
 
Despite saying that there was a great need for such a policy locally, GOSE said that the policy should not stand alone, but instead be included in the Council's emerging Local Development Framework (LDF). The Housing element of the Policy was intended to be complete in two-and-a-half years time.
 
Cllr Jill Davison, Sevenoaks District Council's Cabinet member with responsibility for strategic planning, says: "We are both disappointed and surprised that GOSE is insisting that we have to wait until the LDF is more developed before we can introduce this policy, despite its frank admission that such a policy is needed. We have acted in our residents' interests as we know from our consultations that sympathetic development and affordable housing are key priorities. I regret to say that this is another example of Central Government overriding the wishes of the local community."

Ends

Press release issued: November 15 2006