Policy DM15 Loss of existing housing
Development resulting in the loss of existing housing, or land allocated for housing, will only be permitted where it involves:
a) exceptional benefits to sustainability (defined in terms of the overall sustainable development criteria set out in policy DM1) which clearly and justifiably outweigh the loss of housing; or
b) overriding conservation or regeneration benefits which cannot be delivered in any other way; or
c) an overriding community gain through the provision or enhancement of essential community facilities; or
d) a net improvement in the standard of housing through upgrading, replacement, reconfiguration or reprovision of existing dwellings.
Supplementary text
15.1 In order to retain sufficient housing to meet needs, and maintain quality and choice in the housing supply as required by the NPPF, there is a strong presumption in this plan against the loss of housing. This policy applies where a proposal involves the complete loss of a dwelling, or dwellings, or where a redevelopment or conversion would result in a net reduction in the total number of dwellings on a site.
15.2 The policy allows for exceptional circumstances where redevelopment of housing for other uses would result in benefits which would help to deliver sustainable development or other objectives of this plan and the JCS. Loss of housing may also be accepted exceptionally where it involves new or enhanced community facilities such as health centres, dental surgeries and police stations. The policy will also permit the loss of housing where there are wider conservation or regeneration benefits to the area and would allow partial or total redevelopment to replace obsolescent dwellings either on the same site or reprovided elsewhere where this would result in an overall improvement in the standard of housing in the locality.
References
- NPPF: CLG, 2012: Section 6 Delivering a wide choice of quality homes.
- National Planning Practice Guidance, CLG 2014: Housing and economic development needs assessments; Housing and economic land availability assessment.
- JCS policy 4: Housing delivery.
- JCS policy 9: Strategy for growth in the Norwich Policy Area.
- JCS policy 7: Community infrastructure and cohesion.
- JCS policy 12: The remainder of the Norwich urban area, including the fringe parishes (regeneration of tired suburbs; neighbourhood based renewal).
