Comment
Draft Greater Norwich Local Plan – Part 1 The Strategy
Representation ID: 23195
Received: 16/03/2020
Respondent: Orbit Homes
Agent: Armstrong Rigg Planning
The policy requires all dwellings to meet the nationally described space standards. Orbit Homes
recognises the good intention behind this policy, but is very concerned about its impact on the viability of affordable housing developments. As a Registered Social Landlord (RSL), Orbit Homes has access to Homes England grants to fund the delivery of affordable housing, but these grants are based on a maximum floorspace per size of dwelling (i.e. number of bedrooms) that is approximately 85% of that required to meet the nationally described space standards. Policy 5, as currently worded, would therefore have a significant negative impact on Orbit Homes’ and other RSL’s ability to deliver affordable housing in the area as their funding would not cover the costs of building the larger dwellings. In order to resolve this issue, we recommend that the policy is amended to allow flexibility where the grants available for affordable housing delivery would fail to fully fund the costs of delivering larger dwellings.
On behalf of our client Orbit Homes (2020) Limited we wish to make representations to the Greater Norwich Local Plan (GNLP) Regulation 18 Draft Plan Consultation.
These representations comprise Orbit Homes’ comments on the policies contained in the Draft Strategy document and on the Draft Sites document for Long Stratton.
Please see attached document comprising a cover letter, response from and separate enclosures providing comments on the following policies / sites:
• Enclosure 1. Response Form
• Enclosure 2. Policy 1 – Growth Strategy
• Enclosure 3. Policy 2 – Sustainable Communities
• Enclosure 4. Policy 5 – Homes
• Enclosure 5. Policy 7.2 – The Main Towns
• Enclosure 6. GNLP0509 – Land south of St Mary’s Road, Long Stratton
• Enclosure 7. Policy 7.4 – Village Clusters, including:
• Land to the north of Ransome Avenue, Scole; and
• Land north of Church Road, Tasburgh
We trust that these comments will be given due consideration and look forward to participating further as the Greater Norwich Local Plan progresses. If you require any further information in respect of our client’s site then please do not hesitate to contact me or my director Geoff Armstrong whose details provided in the attached letter.