Letter: The Cost of Brownfield Development Limits Size of ‘Affordable’ Components

Published on: 31 Jan, 2023
Updated on: 31 Jan, 2023

From: Joss Bigmore

Policy H2 in the Local Plan (adopted by the previous Conservative administration) does seek at least 40 per cent affordable homes, but in clause 6 of the policy there is a condition on the viability of the site.

I quote” “…if developers can satisfactorily demonstrate that providing the amount of affordable housing required by this policy would not be economically viable….the council will consider reducing the overall number of affordable homes.”

The developer’s own viability assessment and one conducted independently for GBC, by BNP Paribas, both indicated the scheme was not viable with any quantity of affordable homes.

Therefore the officers (and the barrister providing the committee with advice) concluded the scheme was compliant with H2. In fact, the barrister strongly advised against including it in the refusal reasons as there was no evidence to support it and we would in all likelihood have costs awarded against us.

The Planning Committee (as is its right) chose to ignore the advice using opinion rather than evidence, we are yet to see if that judgement is costly.

I would also like to compare the station development, which I believe was approved by a planning inspector with only 6 per cent affordable, and Debenhams which has less than 3 per cent. Urban brownfield development is expensive, especially in these times of rampant inflation, unfortunately, that makes the provision of affordable homes challenging.

However, the council is committed to delivering 40 per cent affordable on its own sites, 80 units at Guildford Park Road and 600 at Weyside Urban Village. We don’t seek profit and we don’t have to purchase the land so we can ensure the focus is on delivery of affordable homes.

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