PPS3 sets out the national planning policy framework for delivering the Government’s housing objectives. It cancelled Circular 6/98 ‘Planning and Affordable Housing’. The 4th bullet point of paragraph 29 of PPS3 states that the national indicative minimum site size threshold is 15 dwellings and that Local Planning Authorities can set lower minimum thresholds where viable and practicable.
Recently there has been some uncertainty as to how the indicative threshold should be applied (see for example the 25 March 2008 letter from Richard McCarthy, Director General Housing and Planning, Communities and Local Government, to Ric Pallister, Deputy Leader at South Somerset District Council 39kb). This has centred on whether or not the threshold can only be applied once incorporated in a Local Development Document and whether or not evidence of local need is required.
Although the context of paragraph 29 is Local Development Documents, paragraph 68 states that since 1 April 2007 Local Planning Authorities should have regard to the policies in PPS3 as material considerations which may supersede the policies in existing development plans. This enables those Local Planning Authorities who have affordable housing policies and thresholds in accordance with Circular 6/98 in their Local Plans to apply the 15 dwellings threshold using paragraph 68 in advance of formally adopting that threshold through the Local Development Document process, provided there is robust evidence justifying the use of that threshold.
Likewise it may be reasonable to apply the 15 dwellings threshold in the absence of any development plan policy, provided there is robust evidence justifying the need for affordable housing and the threshold.
The 15 dwellings threshold may be applied before it is incorporated into a Local Development Document provided there is robust evidence justifying both the need for affordable housing and the threshold. Whether or not affordable housing should be provided, and if so how much, will depend on the particular circumstances of any one case, taking into account for example viability.

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