Back to Contents - Back to Introduction     Chapter 2 PROVIDING DECENT HOUSING   Page 5   OUR OBJECTIVES     2.1 The City Council’s objectives for providing decent housing are:   To meet the Kent and Medway Structure Plan’s strategic housing requirements for the District. To maximise housing development on land that has previously been developed, is derelict or underused (brownfield land) within the urban areas. To ensure a range of housing units is provided to meet the needs of the District’s population. To increase the amount and variety of housing accommodation in the City and coastal town centres.  To ensure that new housing development makes adequate provision for necessary physical and social infrastructure.  To plan, monitor and manage the release of sites for housing development.     STRATEGIC HOUSING REQUIREMENTS 2.2 The Kent and Medway Structure Plan sets out the strategic housing requirement for the District from 2001 to 2016. The following table shows the Structure Plan requirement for the Local Plan period of 2001-2011.       Kent and Medway Structure Plan (2006): District housing requirements for 2001- 2011     2001-06 2006-11 2001-11 Canterbury District 2,100 2,300 4,400     2.3 The total housing land supply is made up of a number of elements:   i) Completions - the net number of new dwellings created annually is deducted from the Structure Plan requirement which leaves the residual requirement;   ii) Unidentified sites contribution (windfalls) - are made up of two elements:     Unidentified small sites - an estimate of the number of dwellings which will be built on unidentified small sites accommodating fewer than 5 dwellings, based on past trends; Unidentified large sites - sites accommodating 5 or more dwellings which are not allocated in the plan.   iii) Identified large sites of 5 or more dwellings which are made up of two elements:-     Commitments - sites with a valid planning permission for housing; Allocations - new sites for housing identified in the Urban Housing Capacity Study (UHCS) 2002 (Revised 2003) and allocated in the Local Plan. 2.4 The table below sets out the residual requirement calculated by the Housing Land Study (HLS) 2005, which has a base date of 31 March 2005 and shows the City Council’s position in meeting this requirement.  The windfall contribution is based on historic rates of small site completions discounted to reflect the proportion of completions on previously developed land.  No allowance is made for large site windfalls to avoid the possibility of double counting with sites identified in the UHCS.  Although the UHCS is designed to pick up the potential of most sites, there are likely to be occasions when large site windfalls come forward.     top Page 6       Kent & Medway Structure Plan residual requirement 2005 to 2011 2,440 Housing Land Supply (31/03/05) Permissions (n/s & u/c*) Large sites only 2,265 Losses Large sites only. 16 Net gain 2,249 Allocations (pre 2011) 1,865 Total identified supply 4,114   Discounted windfall sites @ 72pa 432   Total supply 4,546   Balance of land supply 2,106   * NS = Not started, UC = under construction       Note: The table above is based on the 2005 Housing Land Study adjusted to reflect the City Council’s response to the Local Plan Inspector’s recommendations.  It should be read in conjunction with Appendix 3 which lists the housing sites (of 5 or more units) either allocated or with planning permission as at 31st March 2005.     2.5 The table shows that the residual requirement for the period 2005 to 2011 is 2,440.  The net contribution from large sites (5 or more units) with planning permission will be 2,249.  Local Plan allocations will contribute another 1,865 and the windfall allowance adds a further 432.  The result is that the housing land supply is estimated to produce 4,546 new dwellings between 2005 and 2011.  2.6 In order to ensure that there is a controlled delivery of new housing there will need to be regular monitoring.  If it becomes apparent that the pace of delivery of new housing is too rapid it may be necessary to reconsider the phasing of housing sites in order to avoid the need for major greenfield site releases in the post plan period 2011 to 2016.  Our monitoring approach will be adjusted once the Structure Plan and/or regional housing supply targets for 2011-2021 are finalised.     HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE URBAN AREAS 2.7 The City Council is committed to the principles set out by central Government guidance, which are to maximise the residential development of land that has previously been developed, is derelict or underused; and to promote and improve the quality of life in our City, coastal towns and existing urban and suburban areas.     top Page 7     2.8 There is and has been growing pressure to build residential development on land outside our urban areas; however, the Council believes that the future of our City and coastal towns and built up areas depends on making the best use of land within them through recycling, reuse and making the most efficient use of existing land. 2.9 In the City Council’s view, the built up areas provide better options for new homes as these are sustainable, accessible and make the best use of the urban fabric by changing the nature and quality of places.  In essence, location, quality and intensity of development are the three critical components in new housing development in our built up areas.     Urban Housing Capacity Study 2.10 In accordance with Government guidance, the City Council has identified, through its UHCS, numerous sites within the urban areas that are already developed and/or are derelict or underused that have the potential to accommodate new housing development or mixed-use development that incorporates residential units. The UHCS sets out the process and criteria for identifying the potential housing development or mixed-use development sites. 2.11 The UHCS demonstrates that there is the potential and capacity within our existing urban areas to achieve the strategic housing requirements set out by the Structure Plan, until 2011. On the basis of this Study, the Council does not need to allocate, or grant planning permission for large new housing development outside the urban areas before 2011.  The City Council will ensure that the three critical components of location, quality and intensity of development are implemented to achieve urban renaissance and to improve the character and appearance of the urban fabric. It is the City Council’s intention therefore to continue to promote residential development on land that has been previously developed, is derelict or underused within the urban and suburban areas. 2.12 This part of the Chapter should be read in conjunction with the City Council’s economic objectives in Chapter 3. Some of the sites identified in the UHCS are, or have been, in industrial use. These sites are, however, in poor locations and/or do not perform well in terms of their environmental impact and the Council’s objectives for residential areas. The City Council has developed the idea of clustering employment sites and allocations for reasons set out in Chapter 3. It is not the City Council’s objective to see existing businesses leave the District, but in some cases it may be more appropriate if these were located to more suitable premises within the District, thereby releasing these previously developed sites for new residential development. 2.13 There are some sites outside urban areas but within villages that are previously developed, used, underused or derelict.  Such sites could come forward as large windfall sites if they do not have an adverse impact on the social and physical infrastructure of the villages and surrounding areas and are acceptable in all other respects. These will be assessed against policy H9.  Housing development on previously developed land outside the villages will not be acceptable unless there are exceptional circumstances, and where it is sustainable. 2.14 The City Council considers that the UHCS has the potential to deliver new housing development in sustainable locations to meet housing needs. An indication of the type of development that would be acceptable is contained in the UHCS.     top Page 8   POLICY H1 The City Council will permit residential development on sites allocated for housing or mixed use as shown on the Proposals Map (see also all Insets). On other non-identified sites on previously developed land within the urban areas, planning permission will also be granted unless the particular site makes an identifiable contribution to the economic, environmental or social well-being of the town or District, and there is unlikely to be an excessive supply of new housing development coming forward within the Plan period.  In these circumstances policy H3 will be applied.  All development will be subject to policy BE1 of the Local Plan, and those sites specified in paragraph 6.62 shall be the subject of a Development Brief.   top The Phased Release of Housing Sites 2.15 The following section sets out the Council’s approach towards managing the release of housing land to avoid an under or over supply of housing during the Plan period.  To ensure that there is a consistent and on-target supply of new housing in the District, there will be a yearly monitoring and review process following the publication of the Housing Land Study.  This will inform the City Council as to whether there is an adequate supply of housing coming forward and whether additional sites need to be brought forward.  To assist in this process, the City Council will consider 1) the rate of development of existing permissions and allocations and 2) the development programme of other sites i.e. assess whether other previously developed sites are coming forward in the short to medium term. If the housing supply in the District falls short of the housing requirements set out in the Structure Plan, and it appears this will result in a material shortfall in meeting the Structure Plan housing requirements, the City Council will phase the release of other housing sites to come forward in the plan period to 2011in accordance with government guidance. 2.16 The City Council will adopt a plan, monitor and manage approach to the release of housing land in a fair, consistent and transparent approach as set out above and in line with government guidance which gives priority to the release of previously developed land within the urban area. 2.17 On a potential housing site that forms either an extension to the urban area, or involves the development of a greenfield site, the City Council will apply sustainability and environmental criteria to test the suitability of the site for housing. This approach will assist in prioritising sites and identifying which should come forward before others. A sustainability checklist will be produced as a supplementary planning document under the local development framework system.  Primarily, there will be a sequential approach to releasing previously undeveloped land, starting with vacant land not previously developed in urban areas, which are not covered by other designations or policies, prior to extensions to the urban area as set out in government guidance. 2.18 The City Council had identified two urban greenfield sites for housing to be placed on a reserve list and to be brought forward if necessary during this Plan period.  These sites were allocated for housing in the 1998 Adopted Local Plan.  The sites were Mill Lane, Herne Bay (260 units) and Richmond Drive, Herne Bay (40 units).  The Mill Lane site was granted conditional planning permission for housing in February 2005 following an appeal against refusal of planning permission. Consequently Richmond Drive is the remaining reserve site and will only be released once the criteria in 1) and 2) of paragraph 2.15 have been fully assessed.     top Page 9   POLICY H2 In addition to the housing provision in Policy H1, a reserve housing provision on land adjoining Richmond Drive, Beltinge is proposed to accommodate up to an additional 40 dwellings in the Plan period  up to 2011.  The timing of its release will be decided by the City Council, in the light of monitoring.  Until then, planning permission for housing development on this site will not be granted, and other development which would prejudice its possible use for housing will not be permitted.   top 2.19 In view of the outcome of the assessment of the HLS, the City Council considers that it is unlikely that the phased release of sites outside the urban areas will need to come forward.  However, if the allocation of new greenfield sites, in addition to the reserve site, were found to be necessary, these would be identified through the LDF process. 2.20 To ensure the correct pace of delivery of new housing in the plan period, in accordance with the phased requirements of the Structure Plan, policy H3 sets out the approach to large unidentified sites which might come forward.  Applications for such large unidentified sites will be judged against need (both quantitative and qualitative) and the local plan strategy including environmental and sustainability considerations and a sequential approach to housing sites.  2.21 Acceptable proposals for housing on unidentified sites will be welcomed where such proposals are part of a comprehensive redevelopment to regenerate a designated area in the plan such as regeneration zones or town centres.   POLICY H3 A managed approach to the release of housing sites will be applied.  Proposals for the development of large sites (5 or more dwellings) which are not identified in the plan, will be permitted within the plan period if they do not prejudice the plan’s environmental and sustainability strategy, and are acceptable in sequential terms compared with other available sites, or are required to meet a quantitative or qualitative need.   top Housing Development on Previously Developed Land 2.22 By the year 2008, it is the Government’s objective to ensure that at least 60% of all new housing development is built on previously developed, derelict or underused land. The Structure Plan contains an indicative guideline for all new housing development to be built on previously developed land within Kent.  The level of housing development on previously developed land in the future will be tested through the LDF process. 2.23 The City Council produces quarterly figures to assess the percentage of new housing development on brownfield land, and is committed to monitoring these figures and meeting the targets.     Setting the Development Agenda 2.24 Where necessary the Council will use its Compulsory Purchase Order powers, in partnership with landowners and developers, to help release land for housing within the urban areas that have been identified in the UHCS. This should ensure that there is a continuous stream of sites coming forward for residential development during the Plan period, and enables the City Council to lead the development agenda, in partnership with landowners or developers, to help meet its housing requirements. Chapter 8 and policy IMP1 set out the City Council’s approach to using its Compulsory Purchase Order powers.     top Page 10     2.25 The City Council has a number of car parks in the urban areas, mostly in Canterbury City. Some design feasibility studies have been carried out as part of the UHCS to assess whether some of the car parks could accommodate residential development on the frontages, or decked over the frontages, while retaining the car parking spaces to the rear. These feasibility studiesdemonstrate that suitably designed schemes could be accommodated on some of these car parks.  These car parks are an important part of the City Council’s housing strategy and in order to bring these forward for development in the period up to 2011, a working party has been set up to oversee their development.  A parking review is being undertaken and depending on the outcome, there may be possibilities for disposal of some sites in their entirety whilst retaining an element of car parking on the others. 2.26 The City Council is committed to monitoring and reviewing housing development that will come forward within its urban areas in accordance with the guidance set out by central Government.      The Range of Housing Accommodation 2.27 In addition to maintaining appropriate levels of housing supply, the City Council will also seek to ensure that the District’s housing needs are met now and in the future.  The City Council’s Housing Strategy focuses on four key aims:   To maximise the supply of appropriate housing in all tenures to meet identified needs of the District; To improve the access to housing and extend housing choice for communities; To ensure that the quality of housing is maintained to the highest possible standard; and To promote sustainable communities.   Although the previous section of this chapter dealt with the housing supply in numerical terms, the City Council wants to ensure that the Local Plan assists in fulfilling the above aims; in particular the supply of housing to meet identified needs and the promotion of sustainable communities. 2.28 A significant change in Canterbury’s household make-up will arise from the demand and need for affordable dwellings, smaller households, ‘key worker’ housing and also for student accommodation. Student and other accommodation are dealt with more fully in paragraphs 2.45 and 7.81.  This demand is accentuated by choice, living habits and preferences and will affect the future provision of the type, tenure, size and location of new housing. 2.29 Affordable housing is defined as housing which is accessible to people whose incomes are insufficient to enable them to purchase or rent adequate housing locally on the open market. The term affordable housing includes both low cost market and subsidised housing and includes a range of different tenure types and models to meet these needs.  This includes registered social landlord rented homes, key worker homes for sale or rent at below market levels (available principally to employees involved in work essential to the local economy and local services), and shared equity homes.     top Page 11     2.30 The mix of tenures, sizes and types of homes provided on any particular development will be required to reflect local needs.  This should also encourage social cohesion and the creation of balanced and higher density communities.  Different tenures, different sized households and creative quality design are necessary therefore, in particular in areas of higher density such as around town centres and good public transport interchanges in the urban areas, to provide for the range of accommodation needed and to promote social mix. 2.31 For the above reasons when the City Council grants planning permission for new housing development on sites specified in Policy H4, it shall expect a mix of market and affordable housing, smaller households and tenures.  This will be achieved through planning conditions, negotiation and legal agreements. 2.32 The amount of affordable housing to be produced will be determined by local need and the circumstances of a particular site, and will be the subject of negotiation between the Council and applicant.  To assist the negotiation process the City Council has produced Supplementary Planning Guidance on the levels of affordable housing that would normally be required on appropriate sites, which is at present 30% of the overall provision.  The Council is committed to a continuous review of the affordable housing needs through regular surveys and assessments, to enable the Council’s Supplementary Planning Guidance and negotiation to be a proper reflection of District need and affordable housing requirements.  As such, the 30% level may change over the Plan period in response to Government Guidance.  The City Council is preparing a Supplementary Planning Document on Development Contributions that will address the issue of affordable housing provision and will replace the existing guidance when adopted. 2.33 Housing Needs Surveys have demonstrated (which is recognised in the Council’s Housing Strategy) an exceptional requirement for affordable housing in the District.  In accordance with Government guidance, the Council will set a lower threshold for the provision of affordable housing on certain sites.  The provision of affordable housing on the sites set out in Policy H4 will be required at a level of 30% of the overall amount on proposals of 15 or more dwellings. On all other sites, the 30% level of affordable housing will be required on appropriate sites. 2.34 To assist the creation of balanced and sustainable communities new housing accommodation should be provided alongside other social and physical infrastructure, to ensure that existing infrastructure capacity is not exceeded and made worse by new development.  Integral to encouraging balanced and sustainable communities are measures to provide access to public transport, education, health and other public services, measures to prevent crime, leisure and recreation and a strong environment that will aid sense of place and community.   New housing development shall be expected to make reasonable provision towards improving social and physical infrastructure.     top Page 12   POLICY H4 The City Council will seek the provision of affordable housing and mixed housing types and sizes on all appropriate sites, which will be related to housing need and will take account of prevailing market and site conditions.  The exception to this general requirement is in respect of the following sites identified on the Proposals Map which will be expected to provide 30% affordable housing where each proposal exceeds 15 dwellings.  The proposal shall also provide mixed tenure and at least 10% of the overall provision shall be 1 or 2 bedroom households: The Tannery, Canterbury Housing land allocated or identified in a Development Brief in the Canterbury Regeneration Zones BT Depot, Littlebourne Road, Canterbury Northgate Garage, Canterbury Castle Street Car Park, Canterbury Hillborough Farm, Reculver Road, Herne Bay Petrol filling station and nursery site, Eddington , Herne Bay Herne Bay Station, Station Road, Herne Bay Whitstable Station, Railway Avenue, Whitstable Belmont Road, Whitstable Golden Hill, Whitstable Nunnery Fields, Canterbury top POLICY H5 New housing development of at least 5 dwellings shall make reasonable provision for social or physical infrastructure unless it can be demonstrated that there would be no harm to the existing infrastructure or where the proposal achieves other Local Plan objectives. top Retention of Housing Accommodation 2.35 The City Council will seek to ensure the retention, diversification and growth of the existing housing stock across the District to achieve strategic housing targets by 2011, and to achieve a balanced mix of housing accommodation in the District. The loss of housing accommodation conflicts with one of the City Council’s primary objectives.  Where possible any loss of housing accommodation will be resisted unless there is an overriding justification, or where the particular proposal fulfils other Corporate Plan objectives. For example, the conversion of existing dwellings to other types of residential accommodation may fulfil another Council objective.     top Page 13   POLICY H6 The City Council will permit the loss of housing accommodation only where: a) The existing accommodation is unsuitable for residential use; or b) The existing residential accommodation is incompatible with adjoining uses; or c) The change of use will ensure the retention and refurbishment of a building which makes a significant contribution to the character or appearance of the area, where it could not be achieved if the residential use remained; or d) The proposed use will meet an identified community, business, tourism, or other residential need, which would be compatible with the character and amenity of the area.   top Additional Housing Accommodation 2.36 The City Council is committed to achieving a good balance and mix of housing types and tenures across the District by widening housing opportunity and choice. This should ensure that new housing development encourages our communities to be mixed, socially inclusive and balanced. 2.37 The design and layout of new residential development should be of a high quality and should seek to make the most efficient and best use of the land. The City Council’s objectives for residential development are set out in Chapter 6 of the Local Plan. 2.38 The City Council believes that development in the City or coastal towns should reflect their context in terms of design, layout and space. Within the City and coastal town centres new development should incorporate a mixed use and should, where appropriate, contain a residential component, see policy TC2. The Urban Housing Capacity Study has identified some sites but there will be other sites that will come forward for new development. This should ensure that there will be an increase of accommodation for single person households, the creation of more mixed and balanced communities and will bring about a renaissance of our centres outside of normal working, shopping or visiting hours. 2.39 The City Council positively encourages bringing back into use homes that have been empty for more than six months or properties that have remained vacant for a significant period, to assist the provision and variety of residential units in our built up areas; to maintain and maximise the supply of housing in the District; and to make more efficient use of existing buildings. This includes vacant floors suitable for residential use above other uses. 2.40 The number of homes in the District that have remained empty for more than six months is very low and is approximately 0.3% of the existing housing stock. The City Council’s Corporate Housing Strategy is to keep this figure low by reducing the number of empty homes by at least 5% each year, by seeking to use positive measures to encourage landowners, landlords or tenants to bring homes into use. The City Council is committed to its Empty Homes Strategy and keeping the Corporate Housing Strategy under regular monitoring and review. 2.41 Some empty homes could help to meet a temporary housing or community need, and some larger houses could be used more efficiently to meet smaller housing needs by conversion into smaller homes.     top Page 14     2.42 When there are physical alterations to premises proposed, the City Council will seek to encourage separate access to the upper floors of buildings to retain, or make provision for, the future use of the upper floors for residential purposes. 2.43 Where changes of use to the ground or upper floors of premises are concerned, and where there is a dwelling on a floor above, the City Council will discourage uses which will make the upper floors incapable of self-containment or unsuitable for living in, by not making provision for separate access to the upper floor or through environmental nuisance or the erection of extensions or equipment. 2.44 The City Council also encourages the residential use of vacant properties providing the use does not conflict with other Local Plan policies and is located within reasonable distance of local amenities, shops and public transport.   POLICY H7 The City Council will grant planning permission for otherwise acceptable proposals to bring empty residential property into more efficient residential use and vacant properties, including underused spaces above shops, into residential use, unless: a) The intensity of the proposed residential use is such that it will have an adverse impact on the amenity of nearby properties and/or lead to a significant increase in on-street parking prejudicial to highway safety; b) There will be an adverse impact upon the character or appearance of an area, or a statutory listed building; and c) There will be conflict with other Local Plan policies or there is a conflict with nearby uses in locations unsuitable for residential use.   top OTHER HOUSING ACCOMMODATION 2.45 To help improve diversification of residential accommodation in the District, the City Council encourages the provision of other residential accommodation to meet the needs of the District, such as nursing homes and student accommodation, or other uses which are residential in nature but do not fall into the definition of a dwelling house. These types of development can add to the attraction and vitality of urban areas, improve the residential mix of accommodation and encourage people to live in and stay within the District. Where possible, new residential accommodation for students should be self-contained and allow for flexibility in use. 2.46 The location of these types of development is important, as the use should be compatible with surrounding uses and not impact on wider residential amenity, the character of the area and should be accessible to local shops, services and other public facilities. 2.47 Proposals for other residential accommodation will be judged against the criteria contained in policy BE1.     top Page 15     GYPSY AND TRAVELLER SITES 2.48 Gypsies are defined as “persons of nomadic habit of life whatever their race or origin” (Caravan Sites Act 1968). Government guidance provides for the provision of sites for gypsies and the land use, environmental, locational and management factors to be taken into consideration. 2.49 Canterbury City Council has no statutory duty to determine how many Gypsy sites are provided within the District.   However, theHousing Act 2004 and the ODPM circular 01/2006 “Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites”  published February 2006, recommend that local housing assessments will need to take into account the needs of gypsies and travellers.  This will be addressed in the next local housing assessment.  The City Council will follow the provisions of the new circular and the needs of gypsies and travellers will be reviewed as part of the review of the housing chapter under the Local Development Framework system. The City Council will look at the need to meet accommodation for gypsies, in accordance with Government guidance by first considering location in or near existing settlements, providing:-   (i) Where it is outside an existing settlement, it is within a reasonable distance of local services e.g. shops, hospitals and schools;   (ii) Where the site is on the outskirts of a built up area, that care is taken to avoid encroachment on the open countryside.   (iii) If location outside an existing settlement is unavoidable, the form and extent of the accommodation does not adversely affect the visual or other essential qualities of an AONB, SSSI, national or local nature reserve, or other area of landscape significance designated in the development plan. 2.50 The City Council adheres to Structure Plan guidance on the provision of gypsy sites. The City Council has one permanent gypsy site in the District at Vauxhall Road, Canterbury. There is also single gypsy accommodation around the District. 2.51 The City Council has signed up to the Kent County Management Protocol for Unauthorised Encampments. Most pressure in Canterbury for gypsy sites is seasonal, and often gypsies need temporary, not permanent, use of land thus flagging up a possible need for transit site provision. At present, the City Council considers that, without having conducted any needs assessment on the issue, the existing gypsy caravan site is sufficient public site provision to meet the long-term need for gypsies to have permanent established base from which to conduct their nomadic lifestyle but in the absence of a needs assessment the City Council recognises that there may be a need for a transit site or sites in the City Council area. However, the needs of gypsies and travellers will be reviewed under the new Local Development Framework system as part of the general housing review.  The City Council will follow the guidance set out in ODPM circular 01/2006 “Planning for Gypsy and Travellers Caravan sites”. 2.52 The City Council will therefore permit the provision of gypsy caravans on appropriate sites where the need is established to be seasonal or temporary, and on non-sensitive or non-protected sites, in accordance with policy objectives in the Structure Plan.  If as a result of the collation of local housing needs assessments from across the Region, including from the City Council’s detailed exercise, the Regional Planning Body require the District to accommodate additional permanent sites, then criteria a) to e) of policy H8 will be applied.  This criteria will also be applied to planning applications submitted for individual private “permanent base” gypsy and traveller sites.  The definition in circular 01/2006 of “gypsy” will apply to determine whether an applicant has “gypsy” status.     top Page 16   POLICY H8 In considering applications for seasonal or temporary use of land by Gypsies and Travellers, planning permission will only be granted if the following criteria are met: a) The use of the site should not have an adverse impact on residential amenity or existing buildings or uses, either by the close proximity, activities or operations on the site which would be detrimental to the surrounding area; b) If location outside an existing settlement is unavoidable, the form and extent of the accommodation does not adversely affect the visual or other essential qualities of an AONB, SSSI, national or local nature reserve, or other area of landscape significance designated in the development plan. c) Where the site is on the outskirts of a built up area, that care is taken to avoid encroachment on the open countryside. d) The site should be well related to and within a reasonable distance oflocal services and facilities - shops, public transport, schools, medical and social services, particularly where it is outside an existing settlement; and e) Access to the site should not be detrimental to highway safety for vehicles and pedestrians, and should not conflict with other transportation policies or objectives. Applicants claiming gypsy and traveller status will have to show that they meet the definition in Circular 01/2006 in order for their gypsy or traveller status to be taken into account.  Any planning permission will have permitted development rights removed.   top HOUSING OUTSIDE URBAN AREAS 2.53 The City Council’s assessment of whether there is capacity within existing urban areas to accommodate additional housing and the efficiency with which land is developed has been carried out through its UHCS. Based upon this Study, existing planning permissions and allocations and the trend of windfall development that is likely to come forward, it will not be necessary to allocate sites outside the existing urban areas for any housing redevelopment in the Plan period. The City Council recognises however that not every site identified is likely to come forward within the Plan period (2001-2011), and that is why it is committed to annual monitoring and review of how the District is achieving its strategic housing requirements through the Local Development Framework process. 2.54 In rural areas, outside the urban areas, housing provision is restrained by national and Structure Plan policies.  Some minor development is permissible within existing villages and exceptionally in the open countryside, outside these villages.  Replacement houses or extensions to houses in the countryside are addressed in policy HP5 and HP8 of the Structure Plan.      New Housing in Villages 2.55 The District contains villages of varying sizes and character. Some villages may have the potential for some limited minor housing development or infill development, consistent with the scale of the village. Infilling is generally defined as the completion of an otherwise substantially built up frontage by the filling of a narrow gap. However, infilling may not always be acceptable as open spaces between development can often make an important contribution to the character and setting of the village. Minor development needs to be considered in context with the size and character of the village it is planned for. For example, a proposed development of a vacant site with five to ten homes within a larger village might be considered acceptable minor development. Therefore, the scale, quality and location of appropriate minor development will be dependent on the individual characteristics of each village. The City Council does not identify the built confines of villages by a line on the Proposals Map, as to do this would infer that any vacant plot within this boundary is suitable for development, which may not necessarily be the case as the openness could be part of the character of the village.     top Page 17     2.56 Since the 1998 Adopted Local Plan, development in excess of minor development has taken place in Chartham, Hersden, Littlebourne and Sturry.  Chartham and Hersden in particular, have seen large scale developments at St Augustine’s and land west of Hersden which are now nearing completion.  These villages are no longer seen as suitable for such development for the period of this local plan up to 2011.  The only exception to this would be where development is needed to meet an identified local need such as affordable housing.  Given the sequential approach to the location of new development as set out in PPG3, the City Council has sought to concentrate new residential development on previously developed land within the three main urban areas of Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable.  Therefore, the City Council considers that new residential development in all those villages listed below should be limited to minor development only.   Adisham Lower Hardres Barham Patrixbourne Bekesbourne Petham Bishopsbourne Rough Common Blean Shalmsford Street Bossingham Stodmarsh Bridge Sturry Broad Oak Tyler Hill Chartham Upper Harbledown Chartham Hatch Upstreet Derringstone Waltham Fordwich Westbere Harbledown Wickhambreaux Hersden Womenswold Hoath Woolage Green Ickham Woolage Village Kingston Yorkletts Littlebourne   2.57 There will be some instances where brownfield land within villages becomes available for development, where the nature of the proposals constitutes more than minor residential development. In these circumstances, the impact of a housing scheme would need to be fully assessed prior to the proposal being acceptable in principle.     top Page 18   POLICY H9 Planning permission for new residential development, in excess of minor development, on previously developed sites within villages, will only be granted where: a) An appraisal has been carried out to ascertain that the development will not have an adverse impact upon the existing social and physical infrastructure of the village and surrounding area; b) The development has regard to the character and appearance and historic environment of the village; c) The development does not conflict with other Local Plan design or environmental objectives; d) A Development Brief has been prepared in advance of any determination of a planning application to ensure the proper planning of the area.   top Housing for Local Needs in the Countryside 2.58 The City Council recognises that in certain circumstances housing should be provided in the countryside to meet an identified housing need.  This need should be based on an up-to-date housing needs survey carried out in conjunction with the Parish Council or local residents in places where no Parish Council exists. People with family or employment connections in a village or parish should not be forced to move away from such areas to find housing. Housing to meet the local needs of rural communities is an important objective of the City Council in support of a living and working countryside with inclusive rural communities. In some villages and rural communities there is an existing supply of this form of housing. The City Council wants to be responsive to the need for rural housing identified through studies and in consultation with the Parish Councils and local rural communities. This approach is consistent with the City Council’s Corporate Housing Strategy for rural housing, which seeks to promote increased housing choices particularly for those on low incomes and to support communities through linking local housing with employment, education, transport and supply networks. 2.59 A family or employment connection is one where: someone has been living in the community through choice for at least five years, the exact period shall be assessed with Parish Councils; someone who has close family living in the community for at least five years or someone who has a special reason for needing to be living in the community, for example, the need to give or receive support. 2.60 The City Council has chosen not to allocate sites for rural affordable housing, but supports the Structure Plan policy HP8 to allow exceptions where local circumstances merit it. This would also prejudge the work on the consultation that is necessary to identify change in local need. However, the City Council will apply the criteria in paragraph 2.58 to 2.61 to assess schemes that come forward. The City Council will make any planning permission subject to a legal agreement to ensure that those people who are considered to be a priority for new local needs housing will be chosen in a sequential way. This will be done in conjunction with the Parish Council on the basis of the need within the parish, neighbouring parishes and the wider area. 2.61 In the case of low cost houses for sale it is important to ensure that the purpose of the scheme is maintained in perpetuity, and that the dwellings are not sold on by the first occupants at full market value: an occupier should be prevented from being able to own the dwelling outright. This is achieved through shared equity and for this reason the scheme will normally be managed by a Registered Social Landlord.     top Page 19     Agricultural Dwellings 2.62 To avoid the spread of speculative new buildings, new housing in the countryside is unacceptable in principle unless there are exceptional circumstances. One such exception is the need for new homes for agriculture workers who generally need to live near to livestock or an agricultural enterprise, and the size of the dwelling reflects the accommodation needs. Policy HP5 of the Structure Plan sets out when development, other than that at small rural towns and villages, may be seen as an exception. 2.63 To establish genuine cases, functional and financial tests are likely to be required, in accordance with Government guidance and PPS7 Annex A. The functional test should establish whether new homes are required for workers in agriculture, forestry or like countryside occupations with a demonstrable operational need to live near to their rural enterprise.   Consideration will be given to existing and future requirements of the enterprise and the number of workers who meet this need. The need for the dwelling should be related to the needs of the enterprise rather than personal circumstances. The size of the dwelling should also relate to the needs of the enterprise. Financial tests are likely to be used if the functional test is not conclusive and will be dependent on the individual circumstances. The City Council will determine applications having regard to the Government guidelines in PPS7.     top