DELIVERING AFFORDABLE HOUSING - LAW, ECONOMICS AND PLANNING POLICY

The aim of this article is to examine the progress of planning policy for affordable housing provision in Britain. Since the late 1980s a fr amework to allow local authorities to secure an affordable housing con tribution from private developers seeking planning permission has been in place. However, this framework is subject to severe legal and econ omic constraints. Some commentators have questioned the legality of th is use of planning law; furthermore, the type of policies applied by l ocal authorities fundamentally affects the financial viability of deve lopment. The article examines these legal and economic parameters befo re outlining the recent policy practice of local authorities and its s uccess in delivering affordable housing. Finally, some conclusions are drawn on the future prospects of these policies.