In this chapter

• Introduction to development management policy
• Housing
  • Policy H/AH: Affordable housing
  • Policy H/RS: Affordable housing regeneration schemes
  • Policy H/RES: Rural exception sites
  • Policy H/EC: Affordable housing requirements within older person and specialist housing (including Extra Care)
  • Policy H/SH: Specialist housing and homes for older people design
  • Policy H/AS: Accessible homes and residential space standards
  • Policy H/HM: Housing mix
  • Policy H/BtR: Build to rent developments
  • Policy H/CL: Co-living schemes
  • Policy H/PBSA: Purpose built student accommodation
  • Policy H/SBCHB: Self-build and custom housebuilding
  • Policy H/GT: Gypsies, travellers and travelling show people
  • Policy H/M: Moorings
• Climate change
• Nature and ecosystem services
• Green Belt
• Jobs and economy
• Healthy, vibrant and inclusive communities
• Heritage and design
• Sustainable transport
• Pollution, contamination and safety
• Minerals and waste
• Waste
• Infrastructure

Policy H/RS: Affordable housing regeneration schemes

About this page

How this part of the Local Plan Options Document works

These Development Management policy option pages contain the following sections:

Policy background

• Relevant national policy or regulations
• National or regional trends
• Local situation and needs/li>
• How we have dealt with this issue in the past
• The thinking behind the policy

Policy options for the new Local Plan

We may suggest a variety of approaches:

• Keeping existing policy as it is
• Making small changes
• Replacing the policy with something that is substantially different
• Identifying factors or events which may affect this policy in the future

Policy option analysis

• A list of the advantages and disadvantages that we have identified for each of the policy options we are presenting.

More on this topic

Read the Housing topic paper and Local Housing Need Assessment (LHNA) for in-depth focus about this topic, and the evidence which informs our policy. Visit our library of Local Plan Options supporting documents to learn more. 

Explore the policy

Select a section below to read more.

Policy background

9.22 In promoting healthy and safe communities, the NPPF (December 2023) under paragraph 98 sets out that ‘Planning policies and decisions should consider the social, economic and environmental benefits of estate regeneration. Local planning authorities should use their planning powers to help deliver estate regeneration to a high standard.’

9.23 The case for regeneration of areas of social housing is often based on a concentration of poor-quality and energy inefficient housing stock, in both larger estates and smaller developments, where a comprehensive programme of repair or refurbishment is not a cost effective or deliverable solution. The other significant driver for regeneration of social housing estates is the correlation between the large concentrations of social housing stock and socio-economic deprivation. In these cases, even large-scale investment in existing housing stock may not address the socio-economic challenges or lessen the strain on wider support services across the area.

9.24 In some instances, redevelopment-led regeneration of social housing may be the most effective means of delivering improvement. Policy H8 in the Placemaking Plan seeks to facilitate such redevelopment in order to deliver enhancement to the social housing stock.

9.25 In seeking to facilitate redevelopment or regeneration of social housing the current policy seeks, as the starting point, to ensure that there is no net loss in affordable housing. However, the current policy caveats this position by stating that it is subject to viability considerations and other social balance considerations. Therefore, it allows the applicant to demonstrate viability or social balance/community mix reasons as to why retaining the existing number of affordable units cannot or should not be delivered.

9.26 As outlined above, the need for affordable housing within Bath and North East Somerset and particularly in Bath is significant and therefore, any potential loss of affordable housing through the operation of the current policy is of concern.

9.27 It is proposed that options relating to the explicit inclusion of viability considerations within the policy should be considered. The alternative means of improving social housing stock through refurbishing or repairing individual properties also has a financial cost. In operating the policy and considering viability, the cost of property repair/refurbishment should be taken into account.

9.28 Options as relates to Affordable Housing Regeneration Schemes are set out below.

Policy options for the new Local Plan

Option A

Where the redevelopment/regeneration of areas of social housing is supported it is required that there will be no net loss of affordable housing subject to social balance considerations.

Advantages of Option A

Maximise affordable housing delivery.

Disadvantages of Option A

Viability considerations.

Option B

Where the redevelopment/regeneration of areas of social housing is supported it is required that there is no net loss of affordable housing subject to social balance and viability considerations.

Advantages of Option B

Ensures and potentially maximises affordable housing delivery.

Disadvantages of Option B

Could reduce affordable housing delivery.