SWAN3: Housing Mix of Types
Substantial weight will be given to the benefits of providing homes that will contribute towards meeting the evidenced needs of Swanage for:
- The delivery of some 4+ bedroom homes on all schemes of six or more units, unless it can be demonstrated that meeting this requirement is not feasible for site-specific reasons; and
- The delivery of houses and bungalows on greenfield sites and not flatted accommodation, unless it can be demonstrated this type of development is necessary to achieve a viable scheme.
- The Swanage Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) March 2024 prepared by AECOM provides an up-to-date evidence base on the types and sizes of homes needed in the town and identifies a number of imbalances in the existing housing stock. Paragraph 5.36 of the HNA highlights the findings of ‘Table 9.19: Modelled Mix of Housing by Size and Tenure in Dorset’, which, although produced for the wider Dorset market area, is noted to be broadly consistent with AECOM’s Swanage-specific modelling.
- This policy implements National Decision-Making Policy HO7 on meeting the need for new homes by translating the conclusions of the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) carried out for the Plan into two specific requirements in order to rebalance the town’s housing stock over the next few years. In doing so it implements the requirements of PLP Policy H9 to apply in Swanage and will operate alongside the affordable housing requirements of PLP Policy H11, i.e. between 20% and 40% depending on scheme size and site type.
- The HNA identified a number of housing type issues in Swanage but the two most prevalent to the balance of its stock are the relatively high proportion of small-medium size (2/3 bed) homes and of flatted accommodation. The policy therefore requires major schemes to deliver a mix of units that include one or more 4-bedroom homes to increase the supply of larger family homes. Working alongside PLP Policy H14 on second homes, it should lead to an increase in the proportion of younger, family-based households in the town to slow the decline in its permanent resident and young age group population.
- The policy also recognises that the town’s flats and apartments meet a need for smaller, lower cost home buying or renting options especially suited to younger people and to some older ‘downsizer’ households. They also help bolster the town’s successful tourist destination status through commercial holiday lets. With a number of brownfield sites allocated in Policy SWAN3, this form of development will address common site viability issues and will make a more efficient use of scarce urban land. However, with an existing healthy supply and the need to deliver more medium-large size family homes it is not considered suitable for greenfield sites.