Against a background of the ongoing housing crisis in the county, Cornwall Council is asking the public to have their say on the future development of affordable homes.

Cornwall Council is inviting views on a draft affordable housing supplementary planning document (SPD).

The SPD will, once agreed, sit underneath the emerging Cornwall Local Plan and will provide detailed guidance on the how the Local Plan affordable housing policies will be implemented.

Whilst the Local Plan will set targets for the percentage of new houses which must be affordable, the Affordable Housing SPD will provide the detail for how these targets and requirements will be implemented, for example delivering the type, size, tenure, quality and distribution of affordable homes which can best meet local need.

The six week consultation is open until Friday 14 March and full details can be found on the Council’s website www.cornwall.gov.uk/affordablehousingspd.

The consultation responses will be reported back to the Council’s Planning Portfolio Advisory Committee before any final decision is taken by the Cabinet.

Cornwall Council cabinet member for environment, heritage and planning, Edwina Hannaford, said:  “Ensuring the housing market offers enough decent homes at a price which people can afford is one of the Council’s highest priorities. Cornwall Council is committed to addressing this issue by ensuring a sustained supply of new affordable homes.

"This draft document is designed to accompany the revised pre submission draft Local Plan. The Local Plan contains a number of high level housing policies which require new housing developments to provide local needs affordable housing for Cornwall. The SPD does not set policy in itself but provides detailed guidance and explains how the Local Plan policies work in practice. It will provide essential information for those submitting planning applications.”

Further details are available by emailing affordablehousingspd@cornwall.gov.uk. Copies of the SPD can be viewed at Cornwall Council One Stop Shops and libraries during normal opening hours.

Completed response forms should be sent to:
Cornwall Council, Affordable Housing Team, Circuit House, St Clement Street, Truro TR1 1DT.