Curtis Fields developer asks to reduce its affordable housing commitment
Betterment Properties says the 30% target needs to be cut back to maintain its profit level
The developers of the Curtis Fields housing scheme in Weymouth are seeking to reduce the number of affordable homes it provides.
Betterment Properties say the agreed 30% target for phases 2-4 of the scheme off the Chickerell Road is no longer affordable and needs to be cut back to a maximum of 26.24% to maintain its profit level.
The effect would be to reduce the number of ‘affordable’ homes from 140 to 122, made up of 84 for rent and 38 shared ownership.
Some local councillors and Weymouth Town Council are questioning the need for the change with a decision expected in the coming days.
The company says it has been hit by general rising costs and unforeseen extra expenses when it was discovered parts of the site were contaminated with asbestos and also needed more ground retaining works than originally believed.
Dorset Council’s area planning committee, meeting on Thursday (18 April), is being asked to agree the lower level of affordable homes which is based on an independent viability report from the District Valuer.
Councillors will be told that, faced with the independent assessment report, the committee should agree the lower limit, delegating the power to make the changes to the head of planning, Mike Garrity.
Figures provided for the council show that the first phases of the development is now near to completion with more than half of the homes not yet started in phases 2-4.
Outline planning consent for around 500 homes was initially granted in 2014 with further, detailed, consents following in 2017, 2018 and 2019, together with some later modifications to the original plans.
The council has a legal contract with the developers, dating back to 2016, which agreed a minimum of 30% affordable homes together with more than £4.5million in financial contributions by the company for recreation, ecology and towards the costs of school provision in the area.