CHAPTER 13: Housing

13.1

Introduction

As part of the creation of a City of Communities and Neighbourhoods, a Caring City and a Wealth Creating City, the Wolverhampton Community Plan aims to:

• Provide a range of housing that meets people’s needs, including affordable housing;
• Improve neighbourhoods as places to live and reduce the worst differences between the least well-off neighbourhoods and the rest of the City in terms of quality of housing and environment;
• Improve the condition of poor housing and replace older and unpopular housing;
• Reduce the number of empty properties across the City;
• Develop a range of accommodation choices for younger and older people and people with disabilities to enable them to live more independently.

The Policies in this Chapter set out the ways that the UDP can help to meet these aims.

13.2

Meeting Housing Needs

In order to meet regeneration objectives and create a balanced, sustainable urban community, it is important to retain and attract a variety of people to live and work in Wolverhampton. This can only be achieved if the City’s existing and future residents have access to a high quality housing stock that meets their varied needs and aspirations, set within an attractive residential environment. Therefore, making the best use of the existing housing stock and providing sufficient land for a variety of new housing is one of the key objectives of the UDP. The Wolverhampton Housing Needs Survey (2002 and updated in 2004) provides a detailed assessment of the varied needs which must be met, in particular the need for affordable housing.

RPG11 (June 2004) requires that sufficient land and buildings be made available in Wolverhampton to provide 5,000 new dwellings over the period 2001-2011. This target has been increased to 6,196 to take account of an anticipated 1,196 extra demolitions on housing renewal sites over the remaining RPG11 period. Table 13.1 shows Wolverhampton’s progress towards meeting this target as of April 2004 and how it is likely that the remaining allocation will be met over the period 2004-2011. A detailed explanation of the figures included in this Table can be found in the Housing Background Paper (April 2002), update (March 2004) and the proceedings of the UDP Inquiry.

There were 1,170 completions over the period 2001-2004, leaving 5,026 dwellings to be completed over the remaining 7 years of the Plan, or 718 every year. Given the number of dwellings likely to be completed on committed sites, there is a need to find sites to accommodate a further 2,747 dwellings over the remaining RPG11 period. This target will be met through a combination of housing allocations, replacement dwellings on housing renewal sites and windfall sites which meet the criteria listed in Policy H3. Supply is likely to be 3,159 units, incorporating a flexibility allowance of 412 units to buffer against unforeseen circumstances.

Table 13.1 Housing Land Supply

13.3

Housing Site Assessment Criteria

Guidance from both the Government and the Regional Planning Authority directs local authorities to adopt a systematic approach to identifying housing sites and assessing their potential for development, in order to allocate sites which are both sustainable and promote urban renaissance. The Council has adopted an approach which:

1. identifies sites potentially suitable for housing, given environmental, amenity and other policy considerations;
2. prioritises sites for release.

This approach will be used to review housing allocations and assess windfall proposals, in accordance with plan, monitor and manage.

Policies in other Chapters of the Plan specify how development which may have an adverse effect on valuable environmental assets, such as recreational open space, nature conservation areas and historic buildings, should be controlled. Policies in the Environmental Protection Chapter detail how physical constraints such as flood plains and contaminated land should be considered through the development process. Policy H9 specifies the contribution that residential developments should make towards the provision of open space, sport and recreation facilities. On larger housing developments, contributions may also be sought to offset the increased demands on local community and education facilities. In most cases poor accessibility will not preclude residential development but will limit acceptable densities. For larger schemes a transport assessment may be required in accordance with Policy AM6.

Employment and housing uses have traditionally existed cheek by jowl in Wolverhampton, which has given rise to poor quality residential environments. However, in order to promote easy accessibility to job opportunities from home, the Council encourages development of mixed use areas, including employment categories that would not be detrimental to residential amenities. It also recognises that in some cases it is possible to create sustainable residential development on sites adjacent to existing employment areas, through careful consideration of design and layout and the use of mitigation measures. However, some employment activities create levels and types of traffic generation, noise, odour and vibration that would have serious adverse effects upon residential amenity (see policies in the Environmental Protection Chapter). It is also important to ensure that residential development does not place constraints on legitimate employment activities and put their future viability in doubt.

Policies H6 and H7 provide more detailed criteria regarding the suitability of residential infill sites for housing, the conversion of buildings from non-residential to residential use and subdivision of existing dwellings. In all such cases, the potential effects of such development on the character and amenity of the local area, including that defined in Conservation Area Appraisals (see Policy HE3) and any local study of character and distinctiveness, will be a key consideration.

Changing economic patterns have led to the closure of some significant employment sites in Wolverhampton in recent years. While some of these sites have the potential to be reused for employment purposes, many are no longer suited to employment activities, due to the character of the surrounding area, or because they no longer meet the requirements of modern industry. A number of these sites have been removed from employment designations, where appropriate, and have been designated housing allocations. If other employment sites come up for redevelopment during the Plan period, their suitability for housing will be assessed against the criteria listed in H3 and policies in the Business and Industry Chapter. Regard will also be had to the current housing land availability and completions situation.

Land at Thompson Avenue is the only greenfield housing allocation. The site will only be released for housing subject to the creation of an equivalent area of public playing fields on former employment land at the corner of Major St and Dixon St (see 12.9.3). This land exchange will create a net improvement in open space, sport and recreation provision in the local area and bring a derelict brownfield site back into productive use. A public consultation exercise has been carried out which supports the land exchange. If other open space sites are considered for redevelopment during the Plan period, their suitability for housing will be assessed against the criteria listed in H3 and policies in the Open Space, Sport and Recreation Chapter. Regard will also be had to the current housing land availability and completions situation and the availability of previously-developed land to meet housing targets, in preference to greenfield land of any kind.

13.4

Housing Allocations

Following the completion of the Urban Housing Capacity Study and the application of the criteria listed in Policy H3, a number of housing allocations are proposed, as listed in Table 13.2 and shown on the Proposals Map. These sites constitute a portfolio of land and buildings which are both suitable and available for housing use over the Plan period. A significant proportion of the sites have an adopted development brief or have planning permission subject to a S106 agreement. It is considered unlikely that it will be necessary to restrict the supply of housing land over the Plan period, although annual monitoring of housing land availability and completions will indicate if this is necessary. The site allocations will be reviewed and updated as the Plan is reviewed and rolled forward.

For each site, a guide capacity has been identified based on either an outstanding planning application, an adopted development brief or an individually determined target figure which takes into account the constraints of the site and it’s proximity to major transport routes and services, in line with Government guidance. A minimum net density of 40 dwellings per hectare has been assumed (except where the character or constraints of the site dictate otherwise – see Policy H7). In most cases, especially in Wolverhampton City Centre, target densities are much higher.

Table 13.2 Housing Allocations

that potential exists for the land to the east of Ward St to be developed independently and in advance of the land to the west of Ward St, subject to the detail of proposal being in accordance with a Master Plan which is to be prepared for the whole of the allocation;

that development is likely to require the provision of a buffer zone and other mitigation measures to protect the amenities of future residents from activities on the Reliance Trading Estate;

that development will be required to positively address the Birmingham Canal;

that development will be required to include replacement recreational open space for any such areas to be lost, as well as open space to meet the needs arising from new development;

that development should retain the existing greenway link along the former railway cutting along the north east of the site;

that known nature conservation interest on the site will be considered as part of development proposals. Compensatory provision for loss of habitat will be required.

Table 13.3 Housing Renewal Sites

* 48 completed

Table 13.4 Significant Housing Sites (20 dwellings or more) with Planning Permission as of April 2004 (excluding sites under construction)

13.5

Housing Renewal and Neighbourhood Renewal

Meeting Wolverhampton’s housing needs depends to a large extent on the continued survival and usefulness of the existing residential stock. The type and condition of the homes together with the quality of their immediate surroundings and accessibility of local facilities, jobs, training and leisure needs are important factors affecting quality of life.  However, a proportion of the existing housing stock is in a poor state of repair and there are a large number of vacant properties. Local problems of low demand for social rented and low value private housing have been identified. The sustainability of certain areas of high and medium rise social accommodation is also in question. Such areas often coincide with pockets of social exclusion and multiple deprivation.

The Council, in partnership with other public and private sector bodies, has developed a range of approaches to make better use of the existing housing stock. These include an Empty Homes Initiative to reduce vacancy rates, renovation and conversion of existing Council units and environmental enhancement schemes to improve the residential environment. In some cases compulsory purchase procedures may be used to acquire vacant properties. The results of the Wolverhampton Housing Needs Survey, completed in 2002, updated in 2004, and any future further update will be an important consideration in determining future approaches to renewal of the existing housing stock as well as the type and affordability of new housing (see Policy H10).

Where existing housing has reached the end of it’s useful life and cannot be viably improved or converted, demolition and remodelling may be the best option. On some sites a combination of renovation and clearance may be pursued. Where a significant amount of housing renewal is planned the Council recognises the need to prepare strategies for neighbourhood renewal, through active engagement with the local community, which comprehensively tackle wider social, economic and physical problems, as well as housing issues, and act as a focus for public and private sector investment. Such strategies will be based on the principles set out in Policy H5 and objectives of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, the Council’s Housing Strategy and other relevant strategies.

13.6

Design of Housing Development

A high quality of design for residential schemes of all sizes is essential in order to achieve the objectives of Policy H1. For this reason, poorly designed proposals will be rejected. Affordable dwellings, as defined in Policy H10, should include Lifetime Homes features, as recommended in Housing Corporation Scheme Development Standards. These features ensure that a new dwelling will meet the needs of most households, including the elderly and those with disabilities. The Housing Needs Survey has shown that there is a particular need for such dwellings in Wolverhampton. However, it is recognised that certain types of dwellings e.g. three storey town houses and small low cost market flats, are incapable of meeting some key Lifetime Homes requirements. Where there are demonstrable reasons to provide such types of dwelling, the Lifetime Homes requirement will be waived.

13.7

Conversion of Buildings from Non-Residential to Residential Use

There are a large number of buildings in Wolverhampton which are underused or vacant, with little scope for commercial or other re-use, but potential to provide a valuable supply of residential accommodation. Upper floor space over shops is also a significant potential source of flatted accommodation and is promoted by the Council. The Council will encourage the conversion of whole buildings or certain floors to residential use in suitable locations, providing that the accommodation is not required for other uses (see in particular Policies B7 and B10). Many of the buildings suitable for conversion are located within or close to Centres or on significant public transport routes. In these locations they are well served by good quality public transport and, therefore, reduced levels of car parking may also be required. In order to encourage the conversion of such buildings to residential use, a flexible approach will be taken to the amenity space, density and overlooking requirements for such proposals, although high standards of design should be maintained. Affordable housing, which is characterised by low levels of car ownership and the need for proximity to local services, is particularly suited to building conversions.

13.8

Open Space, Sport and Recreation Requirements for New Housing Developments

The residents of new housing developments generate specific additional demands for open space, sport and recreation facilities which need to be met either by creating open space and facilities within the development itself, or by improving the quality and capacity of existing open space and facilities close by. In future, a large proportion of new housing will be built on small, fragmented sites across the City. Therefore, to ensure that open space, sport and recreation standards are not compromised, all new housing developments of 10 dwellings or more will be expected to make formal contributions towards open space, sport and recreation provision.

These contributions may take the form of on-site or off-site provision, depending on a number of factors. For example, it may not be practical or useful to incorporate recreational open space within small developments or developments close to existing recreational open space. In these cases, improving the capacity and quality of existing, nearby open space would be the preferable option. Appendix 2 sets out detailed requirements for the provision of open space, sport and recreation facilities to serve new housing developments.

13.9

Housing Density and Mix

An increase in average housing densities, compared to those achieved in the past, is important in an area like Wolverhampton in order to meet housing targets and maximise the potential of urban land. For this reason, net densities of 30-50 dwellings per hectare will be the target for most developments of 5 dwellings or more. Densities of 50 dwellings per hectare net and above will be expected on sites within an existing City, Town, Village or District centre or very close to a metro stop or a major node on a good quality public transport corridor, where high level bus services intersect (see definition in Policy AM12). Very high densities of 90 dwellings per hectare net or more will be appropriate only in the City Centre.

Higher densities demand a more careful consideration of location and design. High quality design is necessary in order to encourage confidence in such accommodation, ensure the privacy of residents and protect the amenity of adjacent areas. Particular attention should be paid to height (Policy D7) and massing (Policy D8). It is crucial that any high density residential development has good access to appropriate support facilities, particularly recreational open space, shops and access to high quality public transport that either already exists, or will be linked to the development. Wherever possible, community and support facilities should be within walking or cycling distance of homes. This is particularly important where reduced car parking standards are implemented (see Policy AM12).

13.10

Housing Density and Mix

The Council defines “affordable housing” as housing provided, with subsidy, for rent or sale at a price which is affordable to local people in housing need, and which meets their housing requirements. Local people in housing need are those who are unable to meet their housing requirements in the general housing market because of the relationship between local housing costs and incomes. What constitutes affordable housing for the purposes of this Plan, having regard to local income levels and housing costs for dwellings of varying types, has been determined by the 2002 Wolverhampton Housing Needs Survey and will be subject to review in the light of subsequent surveys. The affordable benchmark used in the 2002 survey is that a household should not spend more than 25% of its net income on rent or take out a mortgage for more than 3 times the main earner’s gross income.

The Council recognises three categories of affordable housing:

• Shared ownership housing (where a social landlord retains a continuing interest);
• Shared equity housing (where land value is retained to provide housing for sale at below market levels, to current and subsequent purchasers, for as long as this is required).

The Wolverhampton 2002 Housing Needs Survey and the 2004 Update to the Housing Needs Survey have identified a range of housing needs predicted to arise over the period 2002-2007, including a significant need for affordable housing for first time buyers, single people, the elderly and other low income households. Taking into account the capacity of existing stock, the 2004 Update recommends that an additional 542 units of affordable housing should be provided every year to meet these needs. The total is broken down by type as follows:

General Purpose Housing

• 256 units of housing for rent provided by a social landlord;
• 48 units of shared ownership housing provided by a social landlord;
• 38 units of shared equity or discounted market rent housing.

Special Needs Supported Housing (see 13.11.4)

• 135 units of sheltered housing for older people provided by a social landlord;
• 20 units of very sheltered housing for older people provided by a social landlord;
• 45 units of independent accommodation with external support provided by a social landlord.

The Housing Needs Survey 2002 (updated 2004) also identifies the need for an additional 30 unsubsidised, small “starter” market units per annum, to meet the needs of households with income levels just adequate to access the housing market. These do not fall within the Council’s definition of affordable housing.

The majority of affordable housing provided in recent years has been on smaller sites purchased by housing associations or granted to them at a discounted rate. The Council will continue to encourage this type of provision. However, given the dwindling supply of suitable sites and rising housing land values, this source is likely to reduce substantially in the future.

A community’s need for a mix of housing types, including affordable housing, is a material planning consideration as specified in Circular 6/98: Planning and Affordable Housing and Circular 5/05: Planning Obligations. Therefore, in order to make progress towards meeting affordable housing need, the Council will negotiate with developers to secure a significant proportion of affordable housing on all private housing sites of a suitable size and location, including windfall sites. This will also help to provide a mixed community on the site itself and within the local area. Where a number of smaller developments are taking place in close proximity and it is considered that these form phases of a larger development, affordable housing contributions may also be sought.

In determining the amount and type of affordable accommodation required on any site, the Council will have regard to the findings and recommendations of the most recent Housing Needs Survey, and the aims of its Housing Strategy and other relevant strategies. To assist developers, a Supplementary Planning Document on Affordable Housing will be prepared, setting out detailed affordable housing requirements.

The requirement for affordable housing on sites in and around the City Centre will need to be carefully balanced against the importance of achieving key regeneration aims. However, it is important that all new urban village areas created over the Plan period seek to create a mixed community. Therefore the Council will ensure that at least 20% of all housing units provided in the City Centre over the Plan period are affordable.

In and around housing renewal areas, the need to re-house tenants decanted from clearance sites and to diversify the local mix of types and tenures of housing, may well be key factors influencing the location and type of affordable housing required. In general, in order to create sustainable communities, a mix of 70% market and 30% affordable housing will be sought on housing renewal sites. The target general purpose and special needs supported affordable housing elements for each identified housing renewal site are shown in Table 13.3.

The Council is now working with a number of preferred Housing Association providers, and the Council’s preference is that any general purpose housing should be provided through one of these partners. Affordable housing provided under Policy H10 must be made available at a price level which can be sustained by local people in housing need. Developers will be expected to enter into appropriate legal agreements to secure the affordability of accommodation for as long as is required, and will be encouraged to enter into partnership arrangements with Housing Associations whose interest in the property will control initial and future ownership and occupation.

There will be a presumption in favour of the provision of affordable housing on-site. All such accommodation should be fully integrated with open market housing and should be distributed throughout the site, except where special needs housing requirements dictate otherwise e.g. very sheltered housing schemes. In phased housing developments, a reasonable proportion of affordable housing should be included in each phase. It is particularly important that affordable dwellings have good access to the public transport network and to local services. Proposals in areas with poor access may not be considered acceptable unless they involve the improvement of such access.

13.11

Special Needs Accommodation

Housing development should meet the needs of all sectors of the community, including those groups with special needs. Such groups will include the elderly, people with physical and sensory disabilities, people with mental health problems, people with learning difficulties, people who misuse drugs or alcohol, and women and children subject to domestic violence. Given the projected increase in the proportion of elderly people in the population, in line with national trends, it is particularly important to address the special needs of the elderly. The Wolverhampton Housing Strategy sets out how the Council and its partners intend to address the housing requirements of those with special needs.

A growing proportion of the community requires intensive levels of care due to age or other significant health problems. To meet these special needs the Council is working with its partners to create a network of sheltered and very sheltered housing schemes. Sheltered housing is a group of flats, bedsits or bungalows set aside for letting to older people, providing a quiet and friendly environment with the reassurance of having an officer living nearby to offer security, help and advice. The Council currently provides 840 sheltered properties for rent in 23 schemes across the City.

Very sheltered housing offers individuals who have identified care needs a self-contained flat within a housing complex or scheme with access to on site domicillary care. There are currently eight very sheltered schemes in operation in Wolverhampton and a scheme on the former GKN site, Bowen Street, Parkfield has planning permission. Such schemes provide a quality alternative to traditional residential care homes. In order to create a Caring City, the Wolverhampton Community Plan aims to:

• Increase by 40% very sheltered housing schemes for older people by 2007;
• Reduce by 25% the number of permanent admissions of older people to residential and nursing care by 2010.

The 2002 Housing Needs Survey (updated 2004) and other studies have revealed a high level of demand for special needs housing throughout the City, particularly for older people. The 2002 Housing Needs Survey identifies a need arising from existing households for 954 units of supported housing for older people over the period 2002-2007, 768 units of which should be affordable (see table 13.5). This constitutes the special needs supported affordable housing target set out in 13.10.3. This target does not take into account the immediate need to replace places at Council residential homes that have been closed in recent years.

Table 13.5: Demand for Supported Housing for Older People (2002-2007)

Source:  Wolverhampton Housing Needs Survey 2002 (David Couttie Associates)

The Council will oversee the delivery of special needs accommodation, through its role as a provider and enabler. Some of the special needs housing requirement will be addressed through flow of existing stock. However, it is likely that the potential to convert existing stock to meet today’s standards will be limited. Further studies into the condition of existing stock will be commissioned, which will inform strategies to guide future provision.

Given the scale of the need, it will be appropriate to seek the provision of special needs supported housing as part of the affordable housing contribution made by larger housing developments (see Policy H10). In view of the needs of the residents of such accommodation, such proposals should be located within easy reach of local facilities and good quality public transport and supported by appropriate professional services. The specific design and open space requirements of special needs housing will be detailed in a Supplementary Planning Document.

It is particularly difficult to assemble suitable sites of a sufficient size (approx. 0.8 – 1 ha) for very sheltered schemes in a built-up area like Wolverhampton. Therefore, within the next 5 years, very sheltered schemes will be sought on the following housing sites:

• Raglan Street (City Centre)
• Low Hill South

13.12

Residential Care Homes

Communal residential care homes for the elderly, which provide nursing care, can often be of a significant size, and therefore not always suited to a traditional residential environment. A careful assessment will therefore be made of the potential impact of proposals, both for new facilities and the enlargement of existing homes. Residential properties have in the past provided a source of accommodation for care homes. Large detached properties (with five or more bedrooms) are the most obviously suited for these uses. Permission will not normally be granted for the conversion of semi-detached or terraced dwellings. Detailed requirements for the location and design of residential care homes will be set out in a Supplementary Planning Document.

13.13

Sites for Travelling People

Local authorities are required to make appropriate provision for travelling families under the provisions of Circulars 22/91: Travelling Showmen and 01/06: Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites. Unauthorised sites often cause many problems for local communities and provide inadequate facilities for travelling families. To meet the needs of gypsy families 40 permanent pitches have been provided on a site at Showell Lane. To meet the needs of travelling show people the Council has provided a site with 5 plots at Arthur Street, Blakenhall. The Council will continue to explore potential opportunities to improve facilities as appropriate, including the consideration of proposals from the private sector.