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3.64 Thanet has suffered persistently high levels of unemployment, which impacts on ability to access decent housing. Income levels restrict many buyers to converted flats or older housing in need of repair. A 1997 Housing Needs and Empty Property survey of the District found that there is a clear affordability problem in the District for low-income households. It found some 1000 (net) concealed households, the majority of which look to be housed in the short term. 38.3% of concealed households had incomes below £10,000, and 61% below £12,500, and there were problems in accessing affordable property to people with incomes of £11,000 or below. Over 43% of concealed households were expected to require affordable rented housing. 400 of these households, earning over £15,000 were expected to be able to access low cost market housing, and the Study indicated that planning should aim to promote delivery of 400 low cost market housing units. A 1997 Housing Needs and Empty Property survey of Thanet found that there is a clear affordability problem in the District for low-income households. In 2002 Consultants were commissioned to undertake an updated Local Housing Needs Survey for Thanet. Emerging conclusions from this study show a very substantial level of unmet affordable housing need. The Study indicates that if all housing needs for affordable dwellings are to be met in the next 5 years then an additional 4,555 dwellings would be needed over that period. The Study notes that negotiating elements of affordable housing through planning powers is a significant source in addressing such need. It indicates that given the substantial level of need found in Thanet any target for negotiating elements of affordable housing would be perfectly justified. In the circumstances it recommends that negotiations should be triggered on the basis of a site threshold of 15+ dwellings/0.5 Hectares.

3.65 The District Council intends, through Policies H8 and H9 and HNP6, to encourage provision of a wider range and improved standards of affordable accommodation suitable to meet the needs of lower income groups. The term "affordable housing" embraces both low cost market housing and subsidised housing. In this respect, the Council regards the needs of those at present unable to obtain a satisfactory standard of accommodation through the private market as priority. However, the analysis in the udpated Local Needs Study indicates that low-cost market housing cannot meet any housing need whilst shared ownership might be able to help a small fraction of households in need (around 9%), and that for the remainder only social rented housing will be of any use. Thus the vast majority of need to be met is for social rented affordable housing. (In addition to H8, and H9 and HNP6, Policy H10 also applies to the rural settlements).

3.66 In respect of Policy H9, the District Council will normally seek to ensure that where affordable housing is provided it is made and kept available for those in need (normally households eligible for inclusion on the Council's housing needs register). Involvement of registered social landlords or other bona fide charitable bodies, whose continuing interest will secure this objective, will therefore be encouraged. While tenure will be a matter for negotiation, overriding local need is currently for rented housing, at affordable (non-market) rents (that is housing accessible to households whose income is insufficient to enable them to afford adequate housing locally on the open market). Arrangements to meet these needs will be particularly encouraged.

3.67 An affordable element of 15% 30% of total units will usually be expected in respect of Policy H9. (A specific exception being land allocated under Policy H1 at Manston Road allotments, Ramsgate, where 25% of the allocated site will be reserved for affordable social housing.) However, in assessing local need for additional affordable housing, the District Council will have regard to the current Housing Strategy and Investment Programme, the size and nature of the current housing needs register, and the number and proportion of affordable housing units available to accommodate local needs. Attention will be given to local market house prices and rents, local incomes, existing affordable housing supply, size and type of local households and the type of housing best suited to meet local needs.

3.68 Policies in this Plan relating to design quality and achieving attractive residential environments apply equally to affordable and market housing.

3.69 Regeneration of the town centres of Margate and Ramsgate is being promoted through a Town Centre and Empty Property Programme. This programme, supported by Single Regeneration Budget and European (ERDF) funding, English Heritage, Heritage Lottery Fund, Kent County Council and Thanet District Council and in co-ordination and partnership with a wide variety of investors, is delivering regeneration solutions. It aims to eradicate the urban decay impeding investment and regeneration in these centres. Quality affordable housing is a major driver of the programme, and land is being brought back into beneficial use for housing through close working with registered social landlords and private landlords. Quality affordable housing is also expected to be integrated within the proposed neighbourhood renewal programme for western Cliftonville (see paragraph 3.55 above).

3.70 The 1997 Housing Needs and Empty Property Survey identified strong demand for town centre housing. Within identified priority areas there is major scope for the provision of affordable housing as part of the overall regeneration strategy. This includes conversion of buildings back to their original use in a secondary commercial/mixed use area. Such locations are generally accessible on foot to a range of services. The programme forms an integral part of the Council’s Housing Strategy. The Council will, through its planning powers, encourage integration of affordable housing in all new housing developments. However, it will may also consider commuted payments in lieu of on-site provision, where this will facilitate provision of affordable housing contributing to the Town Centre & Empty Property Programme regeneration strategy or to other objectives of the Housing Strategy.

(1) For the purposes of Policies H8 and H9, the definition of affordable housing is that contained in Circular 6/98 and includes both low cost market and subsidised housing.

(2) The size of site (25 15 units +) at which the District Council may negotiate for affordable housing, reflects the size and number of unidentified sites expected to come forward on which affordable housing provision is considered realistic. magnitude of local need in comparison to the total housing provisions in this Local Plan.

(3) An alternative site or commuted sum, as referred to in clause 5 of Policy H9, will not be an acceptable alternative in relation to the site allocated in Policy H2A, in order to provide for a mixed community at Westwood.

Elements of affordable housing encouraged/negotiated under the above Policies will make a valuable contribution in meeting outstanding needs for affordable housing. However, in view of the substantial amount of unmet need their impact will be limited, and the Council wishes to pursue all reasonable courses of action to offset it. In these circumstances the Council believes that some additional greenfield land release may be accepted where further affordable housing can be realised. The effect of the following policy is that proposals for schemes consisting solely of affordable housing at social rents may be accepted on greenfield sites adjoining the confines of Thanet’s Urban Area (as defined in Policy CC1). No market housing will be accepted on such sites, and land values will be expected to be kept at a level where additional affordable housing provision becomes feasible and cost effective. No sites are identified and all proposals will need to be weighed against other relevant local plan policies. Individual proposals will be considered against the criteria in the following policy.

3.71 The Village Appraisals carried out by the Parish Councils have shown that there is a modest shortage of affordable and suitable housing in the rural settlements to meet locally generated needs. This shortfall is most notable in respect of first-time buyers, young families and elderly residents within those settlements. A specific Housing Needs Survey for Minster Parish has provided evidence of existing need within that Parish, and this is addressed within Policy H2B.

3.72 The problem is not simply one of housing. The lack of housing to meet locally generated needs can have an adverse effect on the character, amenity and functioning of rural settlements. This tends to be most graphically illustrated when first-time buyers are effectively forced out of the villages because of the relatively high prices created within a restricted housing market.

3.73 This has far wider economic and social consequences than might initially be realised. Such outward movement often deprives villages of young families with children, putting village schools (an important point of social contact) at risk. In the long term, this has further implications for the provision of village services, and public transport and employment opportunities.

3.74 The Department of the Environment has recognised that such needs exist in rural areas in Planning Policy Guidance Note 3 (Housing), and the Kent Structure Plan also contains policies relating to rural housing development. For example, Policy RS2 allows exceptions to general policy considerations in respect of housing, where there is a special local justification.

3.75 In November 1989, the Kent Planning and Housing Officers Groups issued an Advisory Note on affordable local needs housing in rural areas, for use in the preparation of Local Plan policies. Its purpose was to establish a consistent countywide policy in respect of local needs housing. This Policy is based substantially on the model policy contained in the Advisory Note, with some adaptation to meet local conditions and circumstances.

3.76 The Policy reflects the District Council's commitment to the provision of local needs housing, which is also demonstrated by the District Council's continuing involvement in the DoE's Rural Housing Special Programme.

POLICY H10 RURAL LOCAL NEEDS HOUSING

Explanation:

3.77 For the purposes of this policy, local needs groups for whom such housing is considered appropriate are:

1. First-time buyers who are already village residents or children of village residents;

2. Village residents living in unsuitable accommodation;

3. Dependants of village residents;

4. People whose work is based in the village;

5. People, normally the children of a household with local connections, who have been forced to move away from the village due to a lack of affordable or suitable housing.

3.78 For these purposes, a residential qualification is interpreted as 3 years continuous residence in the parish, or alternatively any 5 years out of the last 10. A household with local connections is defined as one having immediate family resident within the parish for a minimum of 10 years.

3.79 It is important that the client group and their particular design, financial and management requirements are clearly identified, since the District Council will expect the proposals to reflect these requirements.

3.80 The measures contained in this policy constitute a "control package" designed to ensure local needs housing is available to meet local needs in the long term. It is therefore essential that all the requirements set out in the Policy are met and detailed in the planning application, and that the applicant is willing to enter into a legal agreement to ensure these controls are established on a permanent basis.

3.81 Annexe I of PPG7 sets out the criteria by which proposals for new agricultural dwellings should be appraised. All such proposals should be subject to a "functional" test (whether an operational need for the dwelling exists). A "financial" test may also be applied in appropriate situations (whether the farmholding is sustainable in the long term as a productive agricultural unit).

3.82 Kent Structure Plan Policies aim to minimise the rate of new residential development in rural areas, relating it to locally generated needs, be they agricultural, forestry or social housing needs.

3.83 Planning permission will therefore normally only be granted for a farm dwelling where an agricultural need has been demonstrated. In this context, need means the need of the particular farm business, rather than the owner or occupier of the farm or holding.

3.84 The District Council takes the view that, in Thanet, agricultural need is directly related to the security of certain types of livestock, and horticultural produce. Thanet's agricultural land is almost exclusively in arable production which, by its nature, is not as susceptible to damage as other forms of agriculture.

3.85 The pattern of agricultural holdings in Thanet is well-established and stable, and the agricultural area is generally in close proximity to the urban areas. In view of this, the Council believes that there is, generally speaking, little justification for new agricultural dwellings.

3.86 There is growing recognition that each area should seek to cater for its own elderly and handicapped and that such persons are best accommodated in the community. This is reflected in the Government policy document "Caring For People"(1989).

3.87 The 1991 Census indicates that at 3%, Thanet had the highest percentage of residents in communal establishments in Kent; the County total being 1.7%.

3.88 For many years the Council operated a policy of total restriction on new residential care homes which proved unacceptable and unworkable. This was replaced by a long and complicated policy relating largely to concentration, parking and amenity. Market forces and non land use considerations have lowered demand for new homes and it is considered that given the experience of the past and this current situation there is no necessity to address the situation with a specific policy and each application will be treated on its own merits. This situation will be monitored and kept under review with the intention of seeking a change of policy to prevent specific adverse consequences that would flow from an increase in the number of new residential homes proposed.

3.89 The social exclusion and deprivation suffered in the District is of significant concern to, and an important element to be tackled as part of, the District’s regeneration efforts. Adding to the problem is the impact of children’s homes in Thanet, attracted by low cost substantial properties and fuelled by high levels of fees for difficult children. Whilst sympathetic to the needs of such young people, the Council is concerned that large concentrations (almost 39% of East Kent Area’s "looked after children" were located in Thanet in 1999/2000) of such socially excluded young people will simply add to the problems of the area. There is also evidence that once imported into Thanet a large proportion of "looked after children" tend to remain in the district into adulthood, thereby compounding a dependency culture.

3.90 The Council is currently investigating, in conjunction with Kent Social Services and Kent Police, the significance and level of impact arising from such use. Following such investigations, the District Council will consider whether it is appropriate to formulate a specific policy for regulating the quantity or location of Children’s homes within the district through available planning powers.

3.91 The Council will consider the need to introduce policies regulating children’s homes in the light of available evidence regarding impact on local services, crime and disorder in the district, and the powers and resources of other relevant agencies to regulate and accommodate them.

Accommodation for Gypsies and Travelling Showpeople.

3.92 There is only occasional camping by gypsies in Thanet District. This can probably be attributed to lack of suitable employment opportunities and the fact that Thanet is not an "en route" stopping place. There is also anecdotal evidence that such visits are for leisure purposes. For these reasons, the District Council does not envisage a need to consider specific provision for accommodation for gypsies in the District. Any such applications in Thanet will be determined on their merits. The District Council is not aware of any local need for "Winter Quarters" or permanent bases for travelling showpeople.

3.93 The District Council wishes to ensure that as far as possible, impact of aircraft noise on noise sensitive development including housing is limited to an acceptable level. The District Council's policies relating to aircraft noise in relation to all forms of noise sensitive development are contained in the Environmental Protection Chapter, (Policies EP7 and EP8). These Policies will be applicable in respect of applications for new residential development including residential conversion of existing buildings.

3.94 Policy D4 of the Design chapter applies specifically to extensions to dwellings. Supplementary advice in respect of design of extensions to dwellings will be provided in a forthcoming House Extension Guide (which will be available from the District Council).