Can I claim exemption for affordable homes obligations for my supported living planning application?

There are no specific planning policies to guide specialist supported housing. It is one of the specialist areas that doesn’t have its own policy guidance.

The key trigger for a specialist supported housing scheme to be considered against affordable homes, and to be eligible for planner discretion, is a statement of confirmed need from the local council.

Most planning authorities will have local affordable homes requirements. Above a certain number of residential units (typically around 10), there will be a requirement for affordable homes. This is typically in the form of the percentage of total application units to be designated and delivered for affordable homes. Depending on location, the local rate can vary widely, from 10% to 50% of units.

We have spoken to several housing teams and planning officers about their willingness to accept specialist housing in lieu of an affordable homes obligation in cases where need is confirmed by the Local Authority. They are generally supportive. However, we have had to deal with one planning authority which felt compelled to require a viability assessment to prove the exemption in financial terms.

Low unit numbers of supported living schemes mean that they often fall below the threshold for an affordable homes obligation anyway, but in cases where the numbers trigger an affordable unit allocation, planners will often accept that the specialist use can be classified as a form of affordable homes in themselves.