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> Planning > Local housing

How the Authority responds to Housing needs

Local housing delivery (273KB)

It is widely acknowledged that successful delivery of affordable homes in rural areas requires cross agency co-operation at a local level. In a national park the need to conserve and enhance the built environment in all developments is the bedrock of all policy and this environmental necessity increases the need for good cross agency working relationships.  

How we work with parish councils to provide housing need surveys of parishes

In the National Park, the housing authorities, registered social landlords (RSLs) and the National Park Authority work with Parish Councils through the Rural Housing Enabler. This post is pivotal in bridging the gap between strategic level planning and local level need. The National Park Authority provides a contribution to this post because it allows us to engage with communities on housing matters in a way that is difficult to sustain through other traditional local authority posts such as development management planners; policy planners; village officers; conservation staff; or countryside rangers. The way in which the post operates is a proven model that we support.

The Housing Enabler works on a programme of housing need surveys by agreement with the housing authorities and with input from RSLs and the National Park Authority. This programme of work ensures that our understanding of housing need is up to date across the larger towns and villages of the National Park. It also provides us with the evidence we need to focus development where community need is greatest.  Given the sensitivity of the area to change, this parish wide evidence is essential and if it does not exist, we view other claims of need with caution.

We know how to define those in need because we defined it in the Supplementary Planning Guidance document ‘Meeting the local need for affordable housing in the Peak District National Park'. This definition of need is used to arrive at need figures through parish need surveys

The Parish need survey provides the detail that allows a picture of need to be as accurate as possible. We then moderate the need figure by mutual agreement. This established and practical approach recognises the time lag between evidencing need and completing new homes.

Using information to identify sites for affordable housing to address needs identified

Once housing need is established, the housing enabler and the RSLs work with parish councils and the National Park Authority to identify suitable sites. The sensitivity of the National Park landscape and the villages within it means we need to go the extra mile to identify suitable sites to address community needs.  

We do this because, whilst we have a strategic picture of capacity to address housing need through a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLLA) 1 our knowledge of suitable sites at a settlement scale is incomplete. We therefore support a process that brings together the Parish, the housing authority, housing providers and planning officers to assess sites across a settlement. The result is an agreed picture of suitable sites for affordable housing. The support currently comes from development management officers as an addition to their casework. The process is highly valued by the housing authorities, the parish councils and the RSLs because it establishes a consensus about the future shape and size of villages away from the pressurised time period in which planning applications are made. Assessments have already been done for Hathersage, Rowsley, Chelmorton, Taddington and Great Longstone.

1 2009 Peak Sub Region Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment. Final Report to Derbyshire Dales District Council, High Peak Borough Council and the Peak District National Park Authority, ekos gen

Programme of work for the future

We will target this process by prioritising it to parishes need but the little known capacity for development. This will be done by negotiation with the housing authority and the RSL because they are the bodies with the funds to turn this work into affordable homes for local people.

On the evidence of need and capacity for development, and community views on capacity, the National Park Authority would value assessments for the following parishes but recognises that development potential depends on intent to invest. They are listed in alphabetical not chronological order and are an indicative list only.  

2010 and 2011

• Ashford
• Castleton
• Edale
• Grindleford
• Litton
• Peak Forest
• Monyash
• Stanton in Peak
• Stoney Middleton
• Tideswell

For more information contact:

Ian Fullilove
Policy Planner
Peak District National Park Authority
ian.fullilove@peakdistrict.gov.uk
Direct Tel: 01629 816374

Isabel Bellamy
Rural Housing Enabler for Derbyshire Dales and High Peak
Derbyshire Dales District Council
Isabel.Bellamy@derbyshiredales.gov.uk
Direct Tel: 01629 761256

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