CHANGES are being considered to local lettings policies for new housing in the Vale of Glamorgan to give priority to those with a strong local connection and the highest housing need.

The proposals include a "cascade approach" for new housing developments in the Vale with priority given to those with a strong local connection and an acute housing need first followed by those with the highest housing need without a local connection.

Next would be those with a strong local connection and a housing need, then those with just a housing need, then those with a strong local connection but no identified housing need, and then those with no identified housing need.

This approach would only apply to first lets in new housing developments and there would be no reference to local connection in future re-lets.

Local lettings policies aim to ensure new social housing developments, especially in rural and smaller communities, are sustainable and cohesively integrated into the local area, a presentation given to members of the council's place scrutiny committee on Tuesday, November 18, said.

They prioritise applicants with strong community ties such as long-term residence, employment, or close family connections in a bid to maintain local stability and identity.

They apply to new housing developments from registered social landlords, are mainly in rural areas, and tend to be negotiated separately with community councils.

They tend to apply on "rural exception sites" which are smaller sites outside existing settlement boundaries and "allocated" sites in the local development plan (LDP) which are larger sites within existing settlement boundaries.

For rural exception sites and minor rural settlements the proposal is that the local lettings policy gives priority to those with a local connection and the policy applies to all future re-lets.

The presentation said the case for reviewing the local lettings policies is to achieve a balance between supporting local communities and helping people who are in greatest need of housing.

In local lettings policy areas in the Vale 60% of homes go to people in acute need of housing while in areas without local lettings policies 93% of homes go to those in acute need of housing.