Affordable housing development

What is affordable housing?

There are many definitions of affordable housing depending on whether you speak to people in the community, government officers or even the high street estate agents.

In summary, the council considers affordable housing for local people to be:

• Housing provided at below market prices and allocated on the basis of need to people who live or work in Herefordshire or need to move to Herefordshire to receive/provide support and who are unable to afford to purchase or rent houses generally available on the open market without financial assistance.

Based on some assumptions (as outlined in the document 'Technical data to support the supplementary planning document planning obligations') affordability prices for Herefordshire are:

1 bed single earner household with 10% deposit = £77,000
2 bed dual earner household with 10% deposit = £96,000
3 bed dual earner household with 20% deposit = £108,000

Who is it for?

Affordable housing is available to assist anyone who is unable to access the open market without financial assistance, which means that in today's terms this can include:

• First time buyers
• Families seeking to purchase larger accommodation
• People seeking to rent due to the temporary nature of their employment
• People who are on low incomes that are unable to purchase
• People who need properties that are adapted to meet their individual needs
• People with support needs including those who have suffered abuse, experience learning disabilities or problems with mental health

Where can I find out what is available?

Affordable housing properties that become available to either rent or purchase are advertised through the county's Choice Based Lettings Agency, known as Home Point.  Properties are advertised on the Home Point website, or at the offices at Franklin House, 4 Commercial Road, Hereford, HR1 2BB.

Low Cost Home Ownership options >>

How can I apply or express an interest in properties that become available? 

You will need to be registered with Home Point and complete an application form about yourself.  You can do this by telephoning (01432) 260300 and requesting a form or calling into the offices at Franklin House, 4 Commercial Road, Hereford or printing off an application form from the Home Point website.

Once registered you will be provided with a registration number and your needs assessed by bandings, Gold, Silver or Bronze.  You can then place a bid of interest for properties that are advertised that meet your needs.

What is meant by local?

Local means a person within the household that has a connection within a locality or parish. Generally speaking, this can be someone who has lived in an area for a period of time, or is working, usually 16 hours or more in the area where the properties are located. This can vary depending on when the properties were built.  It is also possible to have a local connection if a family member has a proven need to give or receive support from family members. This can be personal or physical care to enable the person to live independently within the community.

Planning Obligations - Section 106 Agreement

In order to ensure affordable housing is kept for local people, a legal agreement called a Section 106 agreement is applied at the time of planning application approval.

Please find below an extract of a Section 106 agreement currently required by the Council to secure affordable housing for local people.  Please note that the extract is supplied for information purposes only and the standard form of agreement from which it is taken may be amended, replaced or withdrawn at any time by the Council without notice.

How does the council increase the number of affordable units?

• bringing empty properties back into use
• refurbishment of unpopular or un-modernised properties
• influencing national and local housing and planning policies
• negotiating new build with major property developers where they build 15 or more in the city or in market towns (excluding Kington), 35% of the total being built is to be provided as affordable
• negotiating with private landowners on small developments in Kington and rural villages where 6 or more is being provided, 35% of the total being built is to be provided as affordable
• by working in partnership with housing associations to build affordable housing.

Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (April 2008)

The Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on planning obligations provides advice to developers and applicants on the use of planning obligations in the planning application process in Herefordshire.  It specifically provides guidance on how the Council will implement the Herefordshire Unitary Development Plan (UDP) Policy DR5 on Planning Obligations and identifies the types of community infrastructure where developer contributions will be sought as part of a proposed development (link in related pages box below).

Provision of Affordable Housing - Technical data to support the Planning Obligations SPD (updated annually)

This document provides the technical data on local affordability levels to support the SPD and can be found below.

Developer's Guide to Delivering Affordable Housing in Herefordshire

This guide provides supporting evidence to the SPD and provides up to date information to aid developers considering pursuing affordable housing requirements and can be found below.