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Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

This Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) provides additional advice and guidance specific to the delivery of affordable housing as part of mixed tenure developments in Belfast. It is intended for us

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The benefits in effectively delivering affordable homes in mixed tenure developments in the city via policies HOU5 and HOU6 are significant, in terms of meeting affordable housing need by opening up a

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

For the purposes of planning and the Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS) for NI, the updated definition of affordable housing introduced on 1 April 2021 is as follows: "Affordable housing is a

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

This definition does not materially affect the established and agreed meaning of social housing, as previously set out in the SPPS and the Belfast LDP Plan Strategy. However, the new definition provid

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The implementation of affordable housing requires a collaborative effort from a number of the key stakeholders. Their specific roles in relation to this are set out below.

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Belfast City Council is the planning authority, with responsibility to prepare the Local Development Plan (LDP) for the Belfast district, including associated planning objectives and policies. The Cou

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) is the strategic housing authority for Northern Ireland and its statutory function includes the examination and assessment of housing need. It is also res

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

NIHE makes grant payments to Registered Housing Associations (RHAs) in respect of the construction and provision of social housing. NIHE are also named as a consultation body in Part 1, Section 2 of t

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The Regional Development Strategy (RDS) recognises that the provision of more affordable housing helps to build strong and balanced communities and ensure an adequate and available supply of quality h

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS) identifies that the development plan process will be the primary vehicle to facilitate any identified need for affordable housing. It also recognises tha

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The Plan Strategy provides the strategic policy framework for the plan area as a whole across a range of topics. It sets out the vision for Belfast as well as the objectives and strategic policies req

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Primarily, this SPG supplements Policy HOU5: Affordable housing, which requires all new residential developments of 5 units or more or on sites of 0.1 hectares or more to provide affordable housing as

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Once adopted, the Local Policies Plan will set out site-specific proposals in relation to the development and use of land in Belfast. It will contain local policies, including site-specific proposals,

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The following sections break down the specific requirements of Policy HOU5 and sets out exactly what is required in order to meet the affordable housing obligations.

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The requirements of Policy HOU5 will apply to proposals for housing development and mixed use development that incorporate an element of housing, together with proposals for redevelopment, conversions

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Policy HOU5 requires affordable housing to be included on all sites greater than 0.1 hectares (ha) or on sites with a capacity for 5 or more units. This threshold ensures that concerns around financia

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Planning permission will be granted for residential development on sites greater than 0.1 hectares and/or containing 5 or more dwelling units where a minimum of 20% of units are provided as affordable

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Plot size: Less than 0.1 ha Units: 4 detached houses at appropriate density Affordable housing requirement: 0 units Plot size: Greater than 0.1 ha Units: 4 detached houses at artificially low density

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The Council will be alert to proposals that seek to avoid the requirements of Policy HOU5, being deliberately designed to remain below the threshold when they would otherwise be promoted as larger sch

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The Council will consider site capacity and whether a proposal makes optimum use of the land and will take account of the development potential of all adjoining zoned or un-zoned sites to ensure that

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Policy HOU5 requires a minimum of 20% of units to be provided as affordable housing. This falls significantly short of the actual affordable housing need in Belfast and, as such, should be considered

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

However, it should also be noted that where it can be demonstrated that it is necessary and viable to provide a higher proportion of affordable housing, the Council will expect developments to do so.

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

In exceptional circumstances, there may be cases where abnormal costs or constraints and/or the mix of house types and tenures required may result in a proposal being unviable and, therefore, unable t

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Number of on-site affordable housing units required No. of residential units in scheme | Minimum no. of affordable units required on site <5 | 0 5 | 1 6 | 2 7 | 3 8 | 3 9 | 3 10 | 3 11 | 3 12 | 4 13

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The following table lists examples of residential development that are usually exempt from the requirements of Policy HOU5 to provide affordable housing: Type of development | Reason Residential deve

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Fundamentally, affordable housing is available to households who otherwise could not house themselves, for example, because they would struggle to afford the cost of housing in the open market, or the

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Affordable homes are generally delivered via specially designed products, such as those detailed below, which are operated according to specific criteria to ensure that, where government funding is pr

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Determine whether affordable housing is required under policy HOU5: Is the site greater than 0.1ha in size? Are 5 or more residential units proposed? Note: If the answer to either question is yes, aff

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Affordable housing should consist of social rented housing and/or intermediate housing.

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Social rented housing is provided at an affordable rent by NIHE or a Registered Housing Association (RHA); that is, one which is registered and regulated by DfC as a social housing provider. Social re

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Intermediate housing for sale helps households who can afford a small mortgage, but are not able to afford to buy a property outright, to become homeowners. There are two broad categories of products

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

At present there are three shared ownership products available in Northern Ireland via the Co-ownership Housing Association, which can be summarised as follows: Co-Own: A form of equity sharing where

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Discount Market Sale (DMS): Housing that is sold below local market value without any form of public sector subsidy to certain eligible households, determined with regard to local incomes and local ho

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Where residential units within a proposal are intended for private sale, consideration should be given to the inclusion of intermediate housing for sale as part of the development. In this regard, SSO

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Intermediate housing for rent (also referred to as 'Intermediate Rent') is private rented housing which can offer an alternative to open market private rental for those whose needs are not met by the

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Two products are available that fall within the broad definition of intermediate housing for rent, which depend on whether the rental discount is being delivered with or without public sector support.

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

A form of Intermediate Rent housing made available at a discount of at least 20% on average local market private rents at time of letting for a similar property size and type. It establishes appropria

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

A form of Intermediate Rent housing made available at a cost lower than open market private rents to certain eligible households without any form of public sector subsidy. In order to qualify as affor

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Where residential units within a proposed development are intended for rent, Intermediate Housing for Rent should, if possible, be incorporated into proposals. In this regard, SIR units offered via a

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Review framework in Appendix 3 for considering the most appropriate affordable housing products to use as part of your proposed development. You may also wish to consider the most appropriate model s7

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

NIHE will provide up to date advice on the level of affordable housing need/demand on a case-by-case basis via a RHA. Different methodologies are followed by NIHE depending on whether determining soci

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

Social rented properties are offered in accordance with the Common Selection Scheme, which prioritises households living in unsuitable or insecure accommodation. The rules of the Common Selection Sche

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

In contrast to social housing, where need is expressed by applicants via the Common Selection Scheme, intermediate housing for either rent or sale is largely demand driven, with end users not usually

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The nature of mixed tenure development necessitates careful consideration of housing mix – both within the affordable homes and within the market sale properties, but also in the relationship between

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

In determining the appropriate mix of affordable housing in terms of size, type and tenure, regard will be had to an up to date analysis of demand, including housing stress and prevailing housing need

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The appropriate mix of affordable housing should form a key part of discussions between a developer and a RHA at an early stage, albeit with the acknowledgement that such conversations are likely to b

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

It should be noted that any advice given by NIHE will be current at the date at which it is given. An applicant should be aware that such advice given might change throughout the process if, for examp

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

While NIHE will provide up-to-date housing need advice at various stages in the planning process, the final decision on the best mix of housing to meet identified need will fall to the Council as the

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

The design approach should be a consideration from the outset and should be closely aligned with discussions on affordable housing need at an early stage. There are two key design principles that deve

Belfast·SPG001 Affordable Housing and Housing Mix

• Discuss the proposed mix of tenure, size and type of affordable housing, as necessary, with a RHA at an early stage. NIHE will advise the RHA and/or the Council regarding need and demand for afforda