BASE HEADER

No

ID sylw: 108810

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Barratt David Wilson Homes (Mercia)

Asiant : Savills

Barratt David Wilson Homes Mercia wishes to reiterate that the SWLP should not be including a Policy which requires NDSS and / or M4(2) and M4(3) compliance without the appropriate justification. This justification is required by the NPPF { National Planning Policy Framework (December 2024) Paragraph 36} and currently does not exist. The Planning Practice Guidance sets out the type of evidence which should be presented in order to justify such a Policy requirement. The viability assessment which is in the process of being undertaken should review the impact of NDSS and M4(2) / M4(3) in conjunction with other policy requirements, for instance in requirements relating to the achievement of Net Zero Carbon goals, enhanced water efficiency standards and ecological net gain.
In setting this Policy requirement consideration should also be given to the contribution made by well-designed smaller homes to affordably meeting the needs for both open market and affordable housing. There is a risk that the imposition of arbitrary space requirements in lieu of focusing on design quality could adversely impact on affordability and deny lower income households from being able to afford homeownership. In particular the proposed requirement for all 1 and 2 bedroom affordable homes to be built with bedrooms capable of satisfactorily accommodating 2 occupiers in each bedroom exceeds the NDSS requirements and would need to be robustly justified within the evidence base.