Knowle relocation project: PegasusLife in North Somerset

Developers are determined to avoid any obligations for affordable housing - and this means tweaking the classification
Futures Forum: Knowle Relocation Project: How to classify the proposed development: as C3 housing or as C2 care home?

... to make developments 'viable':
Futures Forum: "Stop highly profitable developers gaming the system" >>> "Reduce the power of viability assessment studies and give councils the hard cash to start building houses again."

But planners are determined to push for affordables:
Futures Forum: Knowle relocation project: developers lose appeal for 'retirement development' in Sidford >>> Reason: "lack of affordable housing is a critical issue in East Devon"

This is happening everywhere, not just in Sidmouth and East Devon.

In South Oxfordshire:
Extra care and its use class (C2/C3) - southoxon.gov.uk

And in North Somerset, where PegasusLife have also been at work:

The Council’s evidence is that assisted living developments are not sufficiently different in their overall development economics profile to other forms of C3 housing.

Anchor [aka PegasusLife] prefers to use the term ‘assisted living’ for their model, which would be considered a type of ‘extra care’ housing.  

Note on definition of C3 extra care housing and viability implications - n-somerset.gov.uk

Where the Council have argued very clearly against PegasusLife's definitions:

The distinction between C2 “use for the provision of residential accommodation and care to people in need of care (other than within class C3 (dwelling houses))” and C3 ‘extra care’ is recognised as highly problematic. 

This topic has been the subject of extensive discussion nationally as well as in this examination...

Conclusions: 
Taking into account the full range of evidence available to North Somerset Council, we propose: 
1. There is no case for a reduced or nil rate for any form of C3 specialist housing, whether sheltered or ‘extra care’. These must continue to be charged as per any other form of C3 housing. 
2. A definition of C2 extra care housing – for the purposes of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) – as follows: 
“Accommodation available to rent or buy for older people or others in need of care and which meets the following criteria: 
 Residents are subject to an assessment of minimum care needs to establish eligibility to buy or lease a property; 
 Residents are required to purchase a ‘minimum care package’ as a condition of occupation, to include at least 2 hours of domiciliary care per week focused on the health and social care needs of those residents

North Somerset Council response to Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) - further submissions on C2/C3/extra care housing
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