Former Suffolk Coastal area Section 106

What might be in a Section 106 Agreement?

Affordable housing

Policy SCLP5.10 of the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan  outlines the requirement for all residential developments with a capacity for ten or more units or sites of 0.5ha or more to make a provision for 1 in 3 units to be affordable.

The council’s Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) provides guidance on implementing affordable housing policies.

• Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (May 2022)

The SPD includes Model Heads of Terms and Template Clauses for Section 106 agreements.

In exceptional circumstances, where it is not feasible or practical to provide units on site, it may be agreed that a financial contribution (commuted payment) can be paid. Guidance is provided in the Affordable Housing SPD.

• East Suffolk commuted payment levels

The Affordable Housing SPD also incorporates the council’s advice on applying the Vacant Building Credit. This replaces the advice note on how we will consider and apply Vacant Building Credit which was approved by planning committee in September 2018.

Habitat mitigation

Development of new housing within the 13km ‘zone of influence’ of European designated sites, is likely to have a significant effect upon the interest features of the designated sites, through increased recreational pressure, as set out in the emerging Suffolk Recreational Disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy (RAMS). New housing within these areas will be required to mitigate the effects of the development though Section 106 planning obligations. If there are no other S106 obligations for the development, the owner of the land will be required to submit a unilateral undertaking to secure the payment. 

On site open/play space

On site open space may be required on major developments. Please contact the Section 106 Officer or the area planning officer for the proposed development for further information.

Other requirements

Other requirements will be site specific and may include specific highway improvements, provision of a school (on very large developments) or restricting the use of a development (e.g. live/work restrictions etc). These may be identified during pre-application discussions or during the consultation period of the planning application.

Further information

• Find out what affordable housing contributions are available in your area

Section 106 contributions spent in previous years