Viability Appraisal Requirements

In those exceptional circumstances where the developer seeks to reduce or not comply with the affordable housing policy requirements of DM 17, due to viability concerns, as outlined above these matters should be raised during the PAD process with the Council and alternative solutions to the delivery of affordable housing discussed. In such circumstances, the applicant must provide the Council with a full viability appraisal of the proposal submitted as part of the planning application, which should be carried out by a suitably qualified professional to ensure the statement is of a satisfactory standard and fully evidenced. It should be noted, that the viability appraisal may be made available to the public and published alongside the other documents which support the application. If a developer can achieve a minimum profit, normally 15% across the whole scheme, the affordable housing requirement will be considered financially viable.