Parish Council Draft Minutes June 2026 (Planning)

Draft MINUTES

Planning meeting on 29/6/26 at 7:30 p.m. (Belstone Village Hall)

Councillors present: M Ash (Chair) P Cooper (VC), T Weaver, D Hosegood, C Grubb and J Stevens.
Also present: – 1 member of the public / Parish Clerk – Jon Pike

Apologies for absence 262717
Councillor Booth

Disclosure of Interests 262718
None

Planning Matters 262719 (public participation was allowed before Council debate)

A. Town Living 0041/25 – to provide opinion as to eligibility for affordable housing element

The Council was requested by DNPA to recommend whether the affordable house within this application should be open to just those with a local Belstone connection or to include those with local connections to adjoining Parishes. Should the application be granted, such local connection would be secured by a s.106 legal agreement in perpetuity. For clarity, the affordable element would be available at a 20% discount to open market value rather than being affordable housing in the traditional sense in terms of social rented housing run by a regulated housing provider.

DNPA provided the following (summarised) additional information:-
“Local connection”
– Has lived in the Parish for 5 years either currently or has previously done so having moved away within 5 years
– Is currently employed within the Parish
– Has a strong connection to the Parish by e.g. upbringing, employment, care provision.
“Other criteria” –
– Is in housing need (doesn’t currently own a home or is in an unsuitable / insecure current housing situation)
– Is unable to afford housing within the Parish at Open Market Value
(Approval of eligibility to rest with WDBC affordable housing team)

Decision – after debate, the Council recommends only those with a local connection to Belstone Parish to be eligible to occupy the affordable element.
The meeting finished at 7:50 pm. The next meeting will be Mon 6th July at 7:30 pm

Signed Michael Ash, Chairman
6/7/2026