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Policy H/HM: Housing mix

What will this policy do?-

This policy will set out the mix of housing to be provided by new development, to ensure that new housing is generally of a size and type to meet the housing needs of different groups in the community.

Proposed policy direction-

New housing developments of 10 or more dwellings will be required to provide an appropriate mix of housing sizes (number of bedrooms), with the proportions of dwellings of each size to be guided by the housing mix for each tenure and for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire as set out in the recommendations from the Housing Needs of Specific Groups – Addendum for (2021) or any future update to the Housing Strategy or housing mix evidence published by the Councils. As the proportion of dwellings of each size is provided as a range, this allows flexibility for local circumstances.

The housing mix (size of bedrooms) recommendations from the Housing Needs of Specific Groups – Addendum for (2021) are as follows:

For Cambridge:

Tenure

1 bedroom homes

2 bedroom homes

3 bedroom homes

Homes with 4 or more bedrooms

Market housing

0-10%

15-25%

40-50%

25-35%

Affordable housing – ownership

15-25%

35-45%

25-35%

5-15%

Affordable housing – rented

35-45%

30-40%

15-25%

0-10%

For South Cambridgeshire:

Tenure

1 bedroom homes

2 bedroom homes

3 bedroom homes

Homes with 4 or more bedrooms

Market housing

0-10%

20-30%

35-45%

25-35%

Affordable housing – ownership

15-25%

35-45%

25-35%

5-15%

Affordable housing – rented

25-35%

35-45%

20-30%

0-10%

Exceptions will be allowed where an alternative housing mix is justified by site specific circumstances, such as local character, the built form of the new development, affordable housing demand on the Councils’ housing registers, and the existing housing mix in the surrounding area.

In some circumstances a condition(s) may be added to the planning permission to remove the permitted development rights for all or some of the dwellings if increasing the approved number of bedrooms for all or some of the dwellings through extensions would harm the housing mix that the development was responding to.

Policy will also encourage the delivery of a mix of types of homes – houses, flats and bungalows – proportionally across all market and affordable tenures, taking account of local circumstances including character and built form, and up to date evidence of affordable housing need as demonstrated by the Councils’ housing registers.

Applicants will be encouraged to work collaboratively with a , the relevant Councils housing team, and the Shared Planning service, to discuss the affordable housing mix for a new development ahead of the submission of a planning application.