Affordable Housing
Maidstone Borough Councils approach to affordable housing is set
out in Policy AH1 of the Affordable Housing Development
Plan Document .
The Affordable Housing Development Plan Document (DPD) has been
produced in accordance with the Borough Council’s Local Development
Scheme (LDS) as part of the Local Development Framework (LDF).
This requires that on all housing sites or mixed use development
sites of 15 units or more, or 0.5 hectare or greater, a minimum of
40% of the total number of dwellings to be provided, shall be
affordable housing to meet identified housing need.
There are two main ways that the Council enables the development
of affordable housing.
1) Section 106 agreements. Section
106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 allows a local
planning authority (LPA) to enter into a legally-binding agreement
(known as a ‘Section 106 agreement’), with a land developer, where
planning permission for private developments is conditional upon
various obligations or contributions being met, including
affordable housing.
2) Rural exception sites. As
Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) cannot generally afford to
purchase land within the village envelope for affordable housing,
they are reliant on cheap or subsidised land for development. There
are certain cases where the Council, as a result of an up-to-date
and well supported housing needs survey, will permit the
development of land that would not normally be granted planning
permission, if it meets the criteria set out in the Local Plan.
Quality Decent Homes that People can Afford
The Policy and Development Team is responsible for enabling
the delivery of sustainable communities and quality, decent homes
that people can afford in order to help deliver the Council’s
Vision “that by 2020 Maidstone Borough will be one of the best
places in the South East to live, led by a high-achieving authority
renowned for its innovation”.
The team works closely with Registered Social Landlords and
developers to ensure that:
- Every resident lives in a good quality decent affordable
home;
- Good quality housing developments will be attracting people to
live and work in the Borough;
- There will be a range of affordable property types, sizes, and
tenures available.
Growth Point Status
The Council is playing a key role in the Government’s New Growth
Point initiative and objectives for sustainable growth, and was
awarded Growth Point status in 2006. Maidstone have been awarded a
£1.55million government grant to support the regeneration of the
town and help create vital new jobs and housing.
The council will now be looking to work with the Government to
bring forward larger regeneration schemes associated with the town
centre, the area to the south of the town, and the South East
Maidstone Strategic Route.
How to get more information:
Latest Shared
Ownership Profile - The latest Shared Ownership profile
for Kent
Homebuy in Maidstone – Further
information about Homebuy (low cost home ownership).
Affordable Homes
in Kent - A useful website containing information on affordable
homes in Maidstone and Kent.
New Growth Point initiative – More information regarding the
Government’s New Growth Points initiative.
Affordable
Housing Development Plan Document - Information regarding
the Council's 'Affordable Housing' policy.
Developing affordable housing.
Maidstone Borough Council in Partnership with Ashford Borugh
Council, formally commissioned DCA in December 2004 to carry out a
Borough-wide Housing needs Survey, as a joint commission. The
purpose of the survey was to examine the housing requirement needs,
aspirations and demands for the communities and household of the
Borough :-
Housing Needs
Survey
Balancing Housing Market
Assessment