Strategic Housing Viability Assessment (SHVA) for the Northern Peninsula Housing Market Area

Status: Finalised evidence in support of the Torridge Local Development Framework

Author: University of the West of England

Date: October 2008 / December 2009

Introduction

The purpose of the Strategic Housing Viability Assessment (SHVA) is to provide the Council with an understanding of local housing markets in respect of affordable housing delivery. This has been achieved through research undertaken to achieve the following outcomes:

• To provide a figure of the anticipated capacity of Torridge (and other partner authorities) to accommodate new housing up to 2026 in order to inform strategic policy making, as set out in Core Strategy and Site Specific Allocations Development Plan Documents.

• To provide a detailed, robust and up-to-date evidence base to inform affordable housing policies and targets within the emerging Torridge Core Strategies (and partner Core Strategies) and to demonstrate that the resultant targets could be delivered in the context of realistic market conditions.

• To review site size thresholds and the proportion of affordable housing that should be proposed to maximise the level of affordable housing that can be provided in future residential development without undermining the general viability and likely delivery of new housing development.

• To review viability of affordable housing provision in different parts of the study area (e.g. urban and rural) and to propose targets appropriate for each.

• To complement work being undertaken jointly as part of the Northern Peninsula Housing Market Assessment.

Small Sites Viability

A further element of work was commissioned to ascertain the capability of smaller housing sites to deliver an affordable housing contribution. This work was completed in December 2009. 

The results of the Strategic Housing Viability Assessments will inform the development plan process by forming an important part of the evidence base that will support the Council's Local Development Framework (LDF), the replacement for the Local Plan. The intention is that the Local Development Framework will be able to fulfil a more strategic housing enabling role, based on a better understanding of all housing needs and affordable housing opportunities across the district area.

 requires all Local Authorities, in setting affordable housing targets and thresholds, to take account of evidence of economic viability and delivery risk. The Strategic Housing Viability Assessment provides this necessary assessment that gives the economic dimension to the Councils approach to affordable housing delivery.

Partnership Approach

Torridge District Council worked in partnership with North Devon Council (opens in new tab), West Somerset Council (opens in new tab), Exmoor National Park Authority (opens in new tab) and Devon County Council (opens in new tab) in the preparation of the Strategic Housing Viability Assessment for the Northern Peninsula Housing Market Area.

In respect of the Strategic Housing Viability Assessment for Small Sites Torridge District Council worked in partnership with North Devon Council.

Downloads

The Strategic Housing Viability Assessment is available to download:

• Strategic Viability Assessment Part 1 - Final Report (PDF) [1MB] (opens in new tab)
• Strategic Viability Assessment Part 2 - Final Report (PDF) [327KB] (opens in new tab)
• Strategic Viability Assessment for Small Sites - Part 1 - Final Report (PDF) [711KB] (opens in new tab)
• Strategic Viability Assessment for Small Sites - Part 2 - Final Report (PDF) [536KB] (opens in new tab)

Further Information

If you would like further information on the Strategic Housing Viability Assessment please feel free to  with the Planning Policy Team.