Don’t ignore rural housing crisis, countryside lobby pleads
The Prime Minister has been described as “urban-centric” in his focus on housing, following this week’s announcement of measures in the Housing & Planning Bill, which will do little to help rural communities struggling with their own crisis, according to the CLA.
“It is disappointing that [the] announcement focuses on urban-centric measures that will do little to help the needs of rural communities. The housing situation in rural areas is already critical, and the countryside must be kept at the heart of this legislation if it is to ease the current housing crisis for the millions of people living and working in the countryside,” said Christopher Price, the CLA’s director of policy and advice.
The organisation, which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses, said that the series of measures announced failed to reference rural areas.
On local plans, Price said: “The failure of many planning authorities to adopt a local plan in their area has severely disadvantaged many rural communities and local economies. They are missing out on much-needed development or having inappropriate development forced upon them. Although we welcome legislation to enforce the adoption of local plans, the 2017 deadline is too vague and too far away. Government needs to monitor progress and take action now rather than wait until another deadline is passed.”
When it comes to starter homes, Price added: “Government must be more realistic about what is affordable and how it will be delivered in rural areas. Allowing Starter Homes to be built instead of rented accommodation will mean those who cannot afford to buy the starter homes will have no accommodation options open to them. Rural areas need a range of housing types, tenures and sizes, and the starter homes requirement creates a new barrier to achieving the balance of housing that is vitally needed in rural areas.”
As for Right-to-Buy, Price said: “Many rural landowners have invested in their community by making available potential housing land to Housing Associations at a considerable undervalue for the delivery of affordable housing for local people. However with Right to Buy there is little incentive for landowners to keep doing so if these properties will only be reverted to open market housing. The Bill must provide for affordable houses within smaller settlements to be excluded from Right to Buy if we are to avoid a further barrier to tackling the rural housing crisis.”
More information about the Housing & Planning Bill is available on the CLG website