Housing strategy
Our housing strategy sets out our approach to housing in the borough. Our vision is:
“For Tonbridge and Malling residents to have access to good quality and affordable homes that meet their needs, whether renting or buying”
The four priorities which will help us to do this are:
- making best use of existing homes, improving housing quality and sustainability
- improving housing options and opportunities to prevent homelessness
- delivering the homes our residents need where they need them
- working in partnership
Each priority includes a set of aims. We will use yearly action plans to help us to deliver these aims and to our check progress.
The strategy includes our tenancy policy.
Housing strategy 2022 to 2027 (PDF)
Action plan: year one (PDF)
Action plan - year two (PDF)
Context information (PDF)
Consultation responses (PDF)
Discounted Sale Affordable Home Ownership Policy
This Policy outlines the Council’s approach to discounted sale affordable home ownership properties in Tonbridge and Malling under the Discount Open Market Value (DOMV) and First Homes schemes.
See Discounted Sale Affordable Home Ownership Policy
Housing needs research
We commissioned arc4 consultancy to carry out housing needs research. We asked them to produce a report to provide insight into housing needs. They also looked to identify aspirations across the borough.
We will use the findings to inform our strategic approach to housing provision and development management. It will also inform delivery of affordable housing in the borough and feed into the local plan. Other information, like the housing register, will support the process.
Housing assistance policy
Our housing assistance policy sets out the range of financial assistance we make available to improve the quality of homes for those most in need, together with the eligibility criteria and conditions that will be applied to each form of assistance. In addition, it includes the provision of disabled facilities grants.
Housing enforcement policy
Our housing enforcement policy gives details of our approach to regulating private sector housing standards in Tonbridge and Malling. It provides a background to the legislation and guidance on which it is based. It provides clarification and consistency regarding our approach to enforcing housing standards.
See Housing enforcement policy
Affordable housing protocol
Our affordable housing protocol outlines material considerations relating to affordable housing and requirements. This includes, for example, First Homes.
See planning material considerations
Temporary accommodation policy
The temporary accommodation policy sets out our approach to temporary accommodation including:
- demand
- supply
- prioritisation
- suitability
See temporary accommodation policy
Local lettings plans
We have nomination rights to affordable housing in the borough and will seek to agree local lettings plans (LLP) with providers of affordable housing on most new housing developments and if needed for specific reasons in existing provision and communities, e.g. anti-social behaviour in a particular area containing affordable homes.
We also seek to prioritise affordable home ownership homes, such as shared ownership, for local households and will make arrangements to support this where appropriate.
Our main priorities for use of local lettings plans are to give top priority for households with a local connection to the immediate area of the development and to achieve 50 per cent of first lets to households who are economically active. Each LLP is considered, developed and agreed in it’s own right so the aims, objectives and criteria may vary.
Recent LLPs are as: