2. HOUSING 2.1 Population and Household Projections The demand for new housing in Corby will be generated by natural population growth and net inward migration. Taking account of the employment proposals contained in this Plan, the Council projects that the population of the Borough will rise to 63,600 and 25,400 households by 2006. This represents an increase of about 5,400 households over the period 1991-2006. It is estimated that 3,400 of these will result from natural growth and 2,000 from inward migration. 2.2 County Structure Plan The Alteration to the Structure Plan takes account of changes in demand, in particular from inward migration, and proposes 6,000 new houses in the District over the plan period. This would require, on average, 330 houses to be built each year. By 2006 there would be a total of 26,070 dwellings. 2.3 Corby - A Strategy for the Nineties The Strategy set out the Council's broad principles governing development and provision of services. At that time it was the Council's policy that 50% of all new housing should be in the form of low cost housing for rent or for sale. The Strategy also referred to the projected scale of development at Snatchill and the need to provide housing suitable for disabled people. 2.4 Housing Provision - Existing Commitments Many houses are already committed at Corby, Great Oakley and Snatchill. In addition to these commitments, the Council is bringing forward land with a view to providing low cost housing. Sites with planning permission (mid 1992) comprise: Location ha dwellings Sites in Corby 14.1 500 Great Oakley 6.2 126 Snatchill 27.6 949 TOTAL 47.9 1575 2.5 Land Requirements In total, the commitments will provide about 1,575 houses. The Structure Plan provides for 5,500 houses in Corby with 500 in the villages and rural part of the Borough. Section 8 deals with provision in the villages. Taking into account houses already built and under construction, land for a further 3,165 houses is required in Corby. The Local Plan proposes that most of these will be located at Snatchill but also that a major new site should be released west of Stanion. Snatchill West of Stanion 2550 houses 560 houses Shopping and community facilities will be provided in the new housing developments. The housing site to be provided West of Stanion is seen as a new neighbourhood closely linked to
Corby. Although located in Stanion Parish, it will be separated from the village and the allocation does not form part of the rural housing provision. Some of the land has been worked for ironstone and there are no agricultural objections to its release for housing. The site is needed not only to make up the total Structure Plan.allocation but also to provide an acceptable degree of choice of housing land. The site will be landscaped and screened from the nearby trunk road. A substantial "green wedge" will be provided between the proposed development and the village. Phasing of the development would need to be related to planned improvements to the A43 Trunk Road. 2.6 Disability and Other Special Needs Corby has a relatively high level of those households likely to include disabled people. The Council's Housing Needs Survey identified about 90 households seeking accommodation adapted or purpose-built for those with mobility difficulties, over a two year period. There are currently about 260 houses suitable to a greater or lesser degree for use by wheelchair users together with another 100 or so adapted for use by disabled occupants. The Council's current waiting list identifies 45 disabled households "in need". The Council takes the view that new housing should be accessible to disabled people, including wheelchair users. In addition, some new housing should be purpose built for occupation by disabled people. Housing associations will continue to make provision in their social housing developments which should meet demand from the waiting list. The Council does not wish to impose a wheelchair housing "quota" on private developers and believes that provision should be a matter for negotiation. The Council concludes that demand would be met if about 1% of the total housing provision was built to wheelchair standard and so will be seeking about 50 such dwellings over the remaining plan period. Careful monitoring will be needed to ensure that supply matches demand. 2.7 Affordable Housing Corby has traditionally provided a high level of social housing to rent. The Local Plan aims to strike a balance which meets the continuing need for rented housing without discouraging people from purchasing in the private sector. The Council uses the following definitions: Social housing - housing for rent or shared ownership at below normal market levels and generally provided by a housing association, local authority or some kind of Trust. Low cost housing - housing generally built for sale under normal market conditions but priced at the lower end of the market. Affordable housing - a general term including both of these categories and any other special types of similar housing. Social housing implies an element of subsidy; low cost housing is provided under normal market conditions. The Department of the Environment's "Index of Local Conditions" ranks Corby Borough in the 25% most deprived local authority areas in England. The components of the Index indicate that affordability of housing is going to be a key continuing issue. The Council consider that Corby's high dependence on manufacturing industry means that inward migrants will tend to be skilled manual and non-manual workers rather than managerial or professional. These workers and their families will generate their own demand for affordable housing.
The Council's own Housing Needs Survey identifies about 375 households forming each year and seeking housing. By analysing tenure preferences and incomes, the Council projects that 51% of emerging households will be seeking affordable housing. The split in demand is projected to be: Social/rented housing 37% Affordable to buy 14% Market and other housing 49% Another indicator of demand is the Council's Waiting List. For the year 1993/94, there were 536 families and single people in need and a further 111 elderly and disabled households, similarly in need. A crude calculation of ongoing demand based on inward migration (about 130 houses per year) and emerging households (about 375 houses per year) would require the provision of over 500 dwellings per year. This is clearly unrealistic and would exceed the level of provision to be made in the Plan. Another element in the calculation is the scale of Council and housing Association relets which will meet some of the demand for social housing. The Council calculates that for the 2 year period 1994-96 about 835 relets would be available to new tenants (i.e. excluding transfers). This compares with a calculated demand for 922 dwellings over the same period from emerging households and those on the waiting list and in need. The Council projects that demand from natural growth will tend to fall off over the plan period while demand from inward migrants will rise. The Council believes that whilst the total projected demand for social housing may be 1200 dwellings over the period 1994-2006 (100 per year) by the time relets are taken into account provision of about 700 houses would be sufficient. Many of those vacating Council and Housing Association dwellings will be seeking affordable housing to buy and will swell demand for this category. The Council believes that provision of about 950 affordable houses for sale will meet the demand. There is clearly an ongoing demand for new social housing, including housing for single people and the elderly, which will continue to be met by the housing associations. There is also an ongoing demand for affordable housing to buy which will be met by private housebuilders. The Council intends to make provision for 1641 affordable houses over the remaining Plan period. This is a little below projected demand but still represents about 30% of the total. The plan will provide for 1310 "market" houses and a further 1960 on "outline" sites at Snatchill and West of Stanion. It is not proposed to make specific affordability requirements in these areas although it will be essential for supply and demand to be carefully monitored. The Council's policy on affordable housing refers to the provision of 1640 such dwellings, which comprise approximately 30% of the projected total housing development. The policy will permit higher density housing subject to design, layout and amenity. It will also enable the Council to negotiate with developers to secure an element of affordable housing and, where appropriate, to restrict future occupancy to specified categories. 2.8 Access and Wheelchair Housing For the guidance of developers, access housing would normally include most of the following: (a) (b) (c) entrances to dwellings should, wherever possible, have a level or gently sloped approach and have flush thresholds; where a dwelling is accessed by a lift, the lift should be accessible to wheelchair users and have accessible controls; a wc and at least one habitable room should be provided at entrance level;
(d) (e) (f) door widths and circulation spaces should be suitable for wheelchair manoeuvre; for dwellings of more than one storey or level, a staircase should be designed to allow for possible future installation of a stairlift; parking areas should be convenient and accessible. Developers are recommended to refer to "Building Homes for Successive Generations - Criteria for Accessible General Housing" (Access Committee For England 1992 - ISBN 0 9518948). Where the development comprises housing for sale, the developer may wish to offer full mobility standards as an option available on any house in order to respond to local demand. Developers are recommended to refer to "Wheelchair Housing" (HDD occasional paper 2/75, DoE 1975). Standards include: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) a level or slightly ramped approach and flush threshold at the main entrance; internal planning for wheelchair manoeuvre into and within all principal rooms; downstairs bedroom and bathroom or, in a two storey house, a downstairs wc and staircase suitable for the installation of a platform or chair lift or the provision of adequate space for the subsequent installation of a through-floor lift; a bathroom and toilet large enough to permit lateral transfer from wheelchair to wc/bath; kitchen layout designed for easy access by wheelchair users. 2.9 Housing Policies Policies for the control of development relating to housing are listed. These policies conform with the principles established by the County Structure Plan, expanded where appropriate, to deal with local conditions. Backland development often gives rise to problems with access, disturbance and loss of privacy. Where these problems are likely to arise, such development will be resisted. Similarly, where there are flats over shops changes to non-residential uses can cause problems for neighbours as well as reducing the housing stock of this type. These changes will only be permitted where such problems do not occur. The Council intends to protect and enhance the environment in established housing areas by ensuring that house expansions conform to acceptable standards and by making positive environmental improvements. In the event that site H18 is not required for affordable housing, the Council will be prepared to consider granting planning permission for commercial development as an appropriate alternative. Such development must be compatible with the character of the neighbourhood, in terms of scale, design and landscaping. In relation to vehicular access and circulation arrangements, the Borough Council consider that Design Bulletin 32 - Residential Roads & Footpaths 2nd Edition 1992 provides important guidance. 2.10 Planning Obligations The Council will seek into planning obligations with developers and landowners for the provision of facilities which are necessary to the granting of planning permission, relevant to planning and relevant to the development to be permitted.
In particular, children s play area in accordance with the Council s standards and, where appropriate, the provision of play equipment will be required. In the new neighbourhood at Snatchill and west of Stanion community halls will be required and the land owners will be expected to provide sites for schools, shops and doctors surgeries. The main contribution to environmental enhancement will be through the provision of landscaping but the developers will also be expected to contribute to new woodland planting and strategic open space. HOUSING POLICIES Affordable Housing P1(R) Proposals for housing development should provide a range of housing across the Borough to cater for all sectors of the housing market, including the demand arising from smaller households, from the inward migration of key workers and from people not easily able to compete in the housing market. To meet this demand, approximately 1640 dwellings or 30 of new housing development should be in the form of affordable housing. A proportion of smaller and higher density houses will be permitted provided that the design and layout allow for adequate amenity space, privacy, car parking spaces and landscaping for the occupiers. The Council will negotiate with the developers of sites of 1.5ha. or more in order to secure an element of affordable housing and in so doing will have regard to market and site conditions. Where appropriate, the Council will impose planning conditions or seek to enter into planning obligations to restrict the occupancy of an agreed number of affordable houses on a development site to households from one or more of the following categories: - local households unable to compete for other market housing because of low income; - local households comprising retired or other older people who are unable to work; - households of people moving to Corby to take up employment in the Borough and where income prevents full participation in the housing market. Where windfall sites of 1.5ha or more come forward, the Council will have regard to need, market and site conditions in considering whether or not to negotiate for an element of affordable housing. The contribution to affordable housing that can be made by the conversion of larger houses to smaller units will be an important consideration in dealing with such proposals. In rural areas, the Council will have regard to specific needs for affordable housing in accordance with policy P5(V) Local Needs. Accessible Housing P2(R) The Council will seek to negotiate agreement with developers for housing which is to be built with a ground floor entrance or accessed by lift to be accessible to visitors in wheelchairs. The Council will also negotiate for an element of new housing to be capable of adaptation to suit most people with disabilities, taking into account market and site conditions and evidence of local need. Wheelchair Housing P3(R) The Council will seek to negotiate with developers of housing sites an element of
"wheelchair housing". The precise number of houses to be built to this standard will be determined with reference to local need, proximity to shops and public transport, site and market conditions. New Housing Development P4(R) In assessing proposals for housing development, careful consideration should be given ` to: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) (viii) Layout, design density and materials. Vehicular access and circulation arrangements with particular regard to safety, the hierarchical road structure, junction design and configuration, carriageway design and widths, gradients, visibility, access to dwellings, pedestrian links, provision for services. Car parking provision which must accord with the Corby Borough Guide to Parking Standards. Retention of existing trees, features of landscape and nature conservation interest and the provision of an appropriate landscaping scheme comprising mainly native species. Provision of open space and play areas in accordance with the Local Planning Authority's standards. Provision of facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. The need to provide safe and convenient means of access for disabled people including provision of dropped kerbs and tactile surfaces. The impact of the proposal on the amenities enjoyed by existing residents and on the local environment P5(R) Where development proposals require infrastructure, services or amenities, these will normally be provided by the developer or landowner in accordance with planning obligations to be agreed with the local planning authority. Backland and Garden Development P6(R) Proposals for new dwellings on plots formed from parts of gardens of existing dwellings in built-up areas will only be permitted where there would be no adverse effects on the amenity and privacy of existing dwellings and where adequate and safe vehicular access is available. Proposals in the form of 'tandem' development will not be permitted. P7(R) Proposals for 'granny annexes' in the form of extensions, additions or separate buildings for occupation by elderly or disabled dependant relatives of the household occupying the existing dwelling, will be considered sympathetically. Where planning permission for self-contained accommodation is granted an appropriate agreement restricting occupation will be sought. Housing in Shopping Areas P8(R) Residential accommodation should be maintained in the Town Centre. If new shopping proposals necessitate the loss of residential accommodation, it should be replaced elsewhere within the Town Centre. P9(R) Where residential accommodation is located above shops or commercial premises, changes of use to non-residential uses will not be permitted. Housing Extensions
P10(R) Alterations and extensions to houses will be permitted provided that the appearance of the house and surrounding area is not adversely affected. Permission is unlikely to be granted where the siting and scale of the extension significantly affects the degree of sunlight, daylight and privacy enjoyed by the occupants of adjoining property. Pitched roofs will be preferred to flat roofs. Roof extensions which exceed ridge height will not normally be acceptable. Environmental Improvements P11(R) Measures will be taken to improve the environmental conditions in existing residential areas in particular:- i) preservation of trees; ii) new tree planting and landscaping schemes comprising mainly native species; iii) traffic management measures and improved facilities for car parking, cyclists, pedestrians and disabled people Phasing - West of Stanion P12(R) The phasing of housing development west of Stanion will relate to the planned improvements to the A43 Trunk Road. HOUSING PROPOSALS H1 A British Steel pipeline crosses the site and may restrict the amount of developable land available. R1 90 new dwellings on 2.5 ha on sites within the Exeter Estate at:- -Honiton Gardens Depot -Lynton Grove -Counts Farm Road -Burghley Drive -Braunton Place -Redevelopment of shops R3 Redevelopment of the site for housing will be permitted. The site would be suitable for affordable housing but any layout must take account of the Samuel Lloyd buildings which are being retained for community use. The design and use of materials should be in keeping with the distinctive character of the Pen Green area. In view of the architectural and historic importance of the school; buildings, the severed parts of the structure must be restored in a manner sympathetic to the retained fabric. R5 Redevelopment of former school buildings for housing (playing fields to be retained) for not more than 15 dwellings on 0.5ha. R6 The boundary between the housing development and open space is to be laid out in an informal manner.
R8 West of Stanion Development of the site will be guided by a Development Brief which will be published as supplementary planning guidance. The Council will have regard to ways in which the development can be contained; in particular the early structural planting of woodland species on land at site L8 located between site R8 and the village of Stanion. R9 Off Stanion Lane Development of the site will be constrained by the existence of services and the need to provide a landscape buffer north of the stream.
TABLE 2 - HOUSING LAND PROPOSALS - CORBY URBAN AREA Residential development is proposed at the sites listed. For information, sites with planning permissions are included although they are not formal proposals. REF DEVELOPER/LOCATION AREA(HA) DWELLINGS TYPE COMMITMENTS at 30/6/92 H1 Springfir Rockingham Rd 4.1 100 Private for sale H2 Masonic Lodge, Rockingham Rd 0.3 36 Private for sale H3 Occupation Road, Northants CC 1.3 33 Housing/residential institution H4 Davis West Glebe 0.3 14 H5 Davis Taunton Avenue 0.3 13 H6 Egerton Leighton Rd 0.3 28 Flats H7 Studfall School, Northants CC 5.1 150 Private for sale H8 Davis Ennerdale Road 2.1 90 H9 Persimmon Occupation Rd 0.3 36 Low cost flats H10 Headway/Lewin Rd 4.2 89 Private for sale H11 Off Lewin Road 0.5 16 Flats/houses H12 South of Headway 0.5 16 Flats/houses H13 Harpers Close 1.0 5 Private for sale H14 Snatchill (Lovell/D Wilson) 8.8 299 Private for sale H15 McAlpine Snatchill Phase 2 14.3 430 Private for sale H16 Leicester HA Oldland Road 2.4 119 For rent/shared ownership H17 Bankside 0.3 11 H18 Off Lewin Road 1.8 90 Affordable/sheltered TOTAL COMMITMENTS 47.9 1575 PROPOSALS CORBY R1 Exeter Estate 2.5 90 Affordable Housing R2 Pytchley Court 0.7 20 Affordable Housing R3 Samuel Lloyd School 1.2 45 R4 Pen Green Lane 0.7 20 R5 Cottingham Road 0.5 15 R6 Tamar Green 0.8 24 Affordable Housing R7 Garden Centre Gainsborough Rd 0.4 15 Affordable Housing 6.8 229 SNATCHILL R10 North 11.8 335 R11 Snatchill South East 13.5 350 R12 South 39.5 1008 R13 Snatchill North East 29.3 857 94.1 2550 SOUTH OF CORBY R8 West of Stanion 38.0 560 R9 Off Stanion Lane 0.9 20 TOTAL PROPOSALS 139.8 3359 COMMITMENT & PROPOSALS 187.7 4934 COMMITMENTS 1575 PROPOSALS 3359 COMPLETIONS 1988-92 658 UNDER CONSTRUCTION 102 TOTAL ALLOCATION 1988-2006 5694