Housing 

Affordable Housing: The District Council has adopted the definition of Affordable Housing as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

Authority Monitoring Report (AMR):  an annually produced document which sets out the progress made in achieving the timetable set out in the Local Development Plan (project plan) and effectiveness of the development plan policies in the Local Plan

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL):  allows local authorities in England and Wales to raise funds from developers undertaking new building projects in their area. The money can be used to fund a wide range of infrastructure that is needed as a result of development. This includes transport schemes, flood defences, schools, hospitals and other health and social care facilities, parks, green spaces and leisure centres. In order to collect CIL, local planning authorities must prepare, consult on and adopt a charging schedule setting out how much CIL developers need to pay for each type of development and a Regulation 123 list setting out what CIL monies will be spent on. Once collected, CIL receipts must be spent on the projects on the authority’s Regulation 123 List.

Community Land Trusts (CLT): CLT’s are another form of not-for-profit community-led housing, in which organisations, set up by volunteers, develop and manage homes and other community assets.

Designated Rural Areas: Designated rural areas are defined as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and areas designated as ‘rural’ under Section 157 of the Housing Act 1985.

Developer Contributions: are often required for major developments to ensure sufficient provision is made for infrastructure and services such as roads, schools healthcare and other facilities. Contributions are usually secured through planning conditions or legal agreements. Developer contributions are often referred to as Section 106 (S106) Agreements or planning obligations.

Local Housing Allowance: The maximum amount of Housing Benefit you can get depends on the number of bedrooms you need – not the number of bedrooms you have, this is called Local Housing Allowance (LHA).

Local Needs Housing: including affordable housing and market housing which addresses the needs of different groups in the community such as, but not limited to, families with children, older people, people with disabilities, service families and people wishing to build their own homes, as established through Parish Housing Needs Surveys, the Self and Custom Build Register, Neighbourhood Plans and the Housing Register.

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF): the document which sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. It provides a framework within which local people and their accountable councils can produce their own distinctive local and neighbourhood plans, that reflect the needs and priorities of their communities. The NPPF must be taken into account in the preparation of local and neighbourhood plans and is a material consideration in determining planning applications.

Registered Providers (RPs): formerly known as Registered Social Landlords or Housing Associations.

Rural Designated Area: Under s157 of the Housing Act 1985, the following areas of Wyre Forest district have been designated rural areas: Broome, Chaddesley Corbett, Churchill and Blakedown, Kidderminster Foreign, Ribbesford, Rock, Rushock, Stone and Upper Arley. The rural areas surrounding Bewdley (but not the town itself) is also included.

Rural Exception Sites: small sites for the provision of affordable housing in perpetuity or to meet another specific identified local housing need (as evidenced through the Parish Housing Needs Survey, Neighbourhood Plan or the District Council’s Adopted Local Connections Policy), at locations which would not normally be suitable for housing. Rural exceptions sites seek to address the needs of the existing local community by accommodating households who are either current residents or have an existing family or employment connection. Small numbers of market homes may be allowed at the local authority’s discretion, for example where essential to enable the delivery of affordable units without grant funding.

Self and Custom House Building Act 2015: A legal definition, for the purpose of applying the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended), is contained in section 1(A1) and (A2) of that Act’:

 “(A1) In this Act “self-build and custom housebuilding” means the building or completion by—

(a) individuals,

(b) associations of individuals,

or (c) persons working with or for individuals or associations of individuals, of houses to be occupied as homes by those individuals.

Self and Custom Build: The National Planning Policy Framework defines Self-build and custom-build housing as ‘Housing built by an individual, a group of individuals, or persons working with or for them, to be occupied by that individual. Such housing can be either market or affordable housing. 

Supplementary Planning Document (SPD): provide additional information to guide and support the Development Plan.  

Sustainable Communities: sustainable communities are places where people want to live and work, now and in the future. They meet the diverse needs of existing and future residents, and are sensitive to their environment, and contribute to quality of life. They are safe and inclusive, well planned, built and run, and offer equality of opportunity and good services for all.

Sustainability Appraisal (SA): the purpose of SA is to ensure that the Development Plan and associated Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) conform to the Government principles of Sustainable Development which are: Living within environmental limits Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society Achieving a sustainable economy Promoting good governance Using sound science responsibly.

Tenure Blind: refers to the design of different types of tenure. Tenure blind means that there should be no distinction in external appearance between affordable units and private for sale units. 

The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012: These regulations provide the legal framework for the preparation of planning policy documents including the Local Plan and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs).