Briefing Note planning consultants dorset planning consultants hampshireEngland: The government has been given permission by the Court of Appeal to appeal to it against the recent High Court ruling that struck down the national 10-unit affordable threshold.

The judgement (which we reported here) issued in July resulted in the quashing of the government’s 8-month old policy that residential schemes of 10 units or fewer and under 1000 sqm should be exempt from paying affordable housing. It also removed the “vacant building credit” which required LPAs to offer a discount on affordable housing requirements where a qualifying vacant building is brought back into use or is demolished and replaced. The case was brought against the government by West Berkshire and Reading Borough Councils.

We can expect this appeal to take several months and in the meantime the present situation applies – the policy is not in force and so local affordable housing thresholds apply. Click here for a handy reminder of the current thresholds in Dorset and Hampshire.

In the meantime you have any queries on how this affects your proposals then please get in touch with us.