Planning Obligations and Affordable Housing SPD

I think we need to expand this section to include the necessity to provide a VBC statement along with the planning statement. The statement should include the following: evidence that the building is 'vacant', a building is not considered as ‘vacant’ if the building has been in continuous use for any six month period during the last three years up to the date of the planning application is submitted. The whole building must vacant to apply for VBC. Evidence that any referenced building is not an ‘abandoned building’ or vacated solely for the purpose of redevelopment. The onus will be on the applicant to demonstrate this. Information on the GIA and the proposed GIA. GIA is the area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level. For the purposes of assessing floorspace, the council will use the definition of gross internal area (GIA) used by the RICS in its Code of measuring practice Where vacant buildings are demolished for redevelopment, only those vacant buildings which enable and relate directly to the redevelopment will be included in the assessment of any Vacant Building Credit.

For outline permission where floor plans are not provided the council will confirm in principle whether a development will be entitled to VBC and will only provide confirmation of the buildings to be used in the calculation upon determination at the full or reserved matters stage and at this time will provide confirmation of the affordable housing provision that will be required.