THE NUMBER of 'affordable' houses planned for a proposed estate on the edge of Lydney has been slashed.

Developer Robert Hitchins has successfully argued that the requirements for affordable housing on the adjacent developments known as Lydney A and Lydney B between Highfield Road and Lydney by-pass would mean it would not go ahead.

The original planning permissions specified 20 per cent of the 332 dwellings on Lydney A and 30 per cent of the 750 homes at Lydney B should be affordable – despite the fact that the Forest of Dean District Council's policy calls for 40 per of new homes to be affordable.

Affordable housing is aimed at people who cannot afford to buy a home on the open market or those looking to rent but cannot afford market rents.

Robert Hitchins lodged an appeal to get the proportion of affordable homes reduced – and a government-appointed inspector agreed with the company.

Inspector Christina Downes decided that the proportion of affordable homes should be reduced to 14.1 per cent at both sites, which it was agreed, could be considered as a single development.

She concluded: "The requirement for 20 per cent affordable housing on Lydney A and 30 per cent on Lydney B would not be viable and, on this basis, I am satisfied that the development will not proceed.

"However, there is no justification to remove the affordable housing requirement altogether.

"The available evidence shows that the development would become viable with a modified affordable housing requirement of 14.1 per cent across the two sites."