VITAL talks are set to be held in a bid to get York’s biggest housing development off the ground.
Council bosses may agree to cut the number of affordable homes in the Germany Beck scheme at Fulford to ensure the delayed project can finally go ahead.
Such a move could represent another shift in City of York Council’s controversial affordable housing rules, which critics have claimed are stifling the construction of badly-needed new homes.
When Persimmon Homes was granted outline permission for the Germany Beck project in 2007, a planning obligation was imposed by the authority ensuring that 35 per cent of homes would be affordable.
But Andrew Bowes, managing director for Persimmon Homes Yorkshire, said the company was currently in discussions with the authority about the next steps before it starts the development.
He said: “In due course, these talks will include the affordable housing element of Germany Beck along with many other matters.”
Council leader James Alexander has responded to the comment by saying the authority will not “cut our noses off to spite our face” and might agree to the percentage being lowered to ensure the development is financially viable.
He said any developer could come forward and ask the council to renegotiate planning obligations and in the case of Germany Beck, the affordable housing element of 35 per cent was included as a planning condition.
He said: “Since planning permission was granted, the council policy has reduced the affordable housing quota to up to 25 per cent, with submission of a financial viability study to ensure that the level of affordable homes is not a financial barrier to the development going ahead,” he said.
“The Labour administration will be flexible on a case-by-case basis, regarding the level of affordable housing on developments.
“We will not cut our noses off to spite our face and should a new development not be financially viable with a certain percentage of affordable housing, we will agree to it being lowered before permission is granted.”
He said it was better to have some affordable housing being built while supporting the building sector than having no affordable housing and a building sector flatlined.
Coun Alexander said: “However, we are still committed to affordable housing for our residents and a lowering from the quote will need to be proven in a financial viability study.”
Mr Bowes stressed Germany Beck, situated just a short distance from the company’s headquarters, was an important project for the business.
“We are fully committed to delivering the houses, and the benefits we believe it can offer to the local and wider community.
“However, no discussions have taken place on any detail points of the planned works.”
The right thing to do for homes
GERMANY Beck’s housing development has been plagued since outline permission was granted to Persimmon Homes four years ago.
The project was bitterly opposed by local residents, and then there was the saga over a village green which was subsequently thrown out after a public inquiry.
Now there are to be discussions between Persimmon and City of York Council to discuss, among other things, reducing the number of affordable homes so that York’s biggest housing development can finally get off the ground.
This is a difficult one. There can be no doubt that York is desperate for more reasonably priced homes and the number has dropped by 21 per cent since the right-to-buy policy was introduced in 1981. But we also need a company to build them. The council recognises this. Since planning permission was granted, it has reduced the affordable housing quota to a maximum of 25 per cent. Not only that, a financial viability study would also ensure the level required would not be a financial barrier at Germany Beck.
New council leader James Alexander says he also won’t cut his nose off to spite his face and is prepared to reduce the percentage of affordable housing further if it threatens the development.
We think this is the right thing to do. The housing market is still fragile and by compromising in this instance, at least some York families will be able to find a home within their budget.
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