As outlined in the response to Question 11, there should be a lower affordable housing requirement on brownfield sites situated in sustainable locations in the first five years of the Local Plan period to encourage such sites to come forward for development.
Policy P4 should offer a greater incentive to the redevelopment of brownfield sites. This should include a requirement for a reduced affordable housing contribution on brownfield sites that are situated in sustainable locations in the first five years of the Local Plan period. This will encourage the early delivery of sites that can make a more immediate contribution towards housing land supply. This will help to offset the lead in time needed to prepare the large greenfield allocation sites that will require the provision of major infrastructure and therefore take longer to deliver. The promotion of the redevelopment of brownfield sites in the early years of the Local Plan period will result in a more balanced supply of new homes throughout the plan period.
This would be achieved by reducing the affordable housing contribution required from brownfield sites in sustainable locations to 40% in line with the previous Local Plan policy under which many of these sites will have been acquired. By reducing the affordable housing contribution to this level and allowing the use of Vacant Building Credit, there is a real incentive for the early delivery of sustainable brownfield sites that will make a more immediate contribution towards meeting housing needs. This approach complements the overall spatial strategy outlined in the emerging Local Plan, provides a greater period of time to prepare and to begin housing delivery on the larger greenfield allocations and makes the most efficient use of existing services, infrastructure and land.