The Council has a number of policies in place designed to maximise the provision of quality affordable housing. The key policies are as follows:-
- South Worcestershire Development Plan - Worcester City Council
- Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document 2016
The policy that relates to “Meeting Affordable Housing Needs” is SWDP 15:
- All new residential development, including conversions, above the thresholds in SWDP 15B (and adjacent land, if it is anticipated that it will form part of a larger site) will contribute to the provision of affordable housing.
- The number, size, type, tenure and distribution of affordable dwellings to be provided will be subject to negotiation, dependent on recognised local housing need, specific location factors and development viability and having regard to the sliding scale approach set out below:
- On sites of 15 or more dwellings on greenfield land, 40% of the units should be affordable and provided on site
- On sites of 15 or more dwellings on brownfield land within Worcester City and Malvern Hills, 30% of the units should be affordable and provided on site. On sites of 15 or more dwellings on brownfield land within Wychavon, 40% of the units should be affordable and provided on site.
- On sites of 10-14 dwellings, 30% of units should be affordable and be provided on site.
