COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT News Release (191) issued by The Government News Network
on 23 July 2008
The Government
today welcomed Matthew Taylor MP's report into rural
economies and affordable housing saying that his core proposals
support and extend the commitments we have already made to boost
affordable housing and ensure that every rural community can share
in the nation's prosperity.
The review commissioned by the Prime Minister finds that long
term under supply of housing in rural areas is holding our rural
communities back. It recommends a new drive to boost rural jobs
and community led affordable housing through enterprise hubs,
greater home working, neighbourhood extensions to market towns,
rural exception sites for local people in villages, and an
experimental restriction of second homes in national parks.
Housing Minister Caroline Flint today signalled that the
Government agrees with the core principles of the report and will
take further measures to boost rural enterprise and affordable
housing. She welcomed specific recommendations to ensure that
planning policy on economic development reflects the needs of
rural areas, as well as Matthew Taylor's proposal for
positive planning to ensure that larger settlements maximise
sustainability and design quality.
The Government is however yet to be convinced that a restriction
of second homes would be either workable or deliver the intended
benefits, when there are more innovative ways of providing the
affordable housing rural communities need without limiting the
rights of second home owners.
Caroline Flint said:
"Matthew Taylor has provided a comprehensive and
authoritative report into the issues that our rural communities
face, as well as a number of practical recommendations. He has
been talking to people right across the country and his report
will have a lasting impact on policy that will help their
communities prosper. I thank him for that hard work.
"It's simply not fair that people in rural communities
struggle to afford a place of their own. I am determined that we
do everything we can to further help people in rural communities
into home ownership, by for example helping landowners to
establish community land trusts and by ensuring councils deliver
the sustainable homes their communities need."
Rural Affairs Minister Jonathan Shaw said:
"Everyone should have the chance of a decent home at a price
they can afford in a place they want to live and work in, and that
goes for rural people too.
"The Government is committed to rural communities -
Defra's £3.9billion investment in rural development in
England shows that we want to see businesses, jobs and services in
the countryside flourish."
Ministers will look at the recommendations in detail and give
them careful consideration before publishing a full response later
in the year.
The Government has a national target to deliver 10,300 new
affordable homes in smaller rural communities (less than 3,000)
over the next three years - part of £8.4bn pledged under our
biggest ever affordable housing drive. Funding is also now based
on completions to ensure homes are delivered.
But we need more market homes too to meet the needs of our rural
communities. Our planning policy for housing (PPS3) already puts
the onus on local authorities to determine the right level of
housing in the right places, taking full account of evidence of
local need and demand.
It makes clear that councils can enable small sites in rural
areas to be used specifically for affordable housing in and around
villages, and provide affordable housing in perpetuity to meet
local needs. Councils also have the flexibility to lower the
thresholds above which new development should include affordable housing.
We have also supported seven rural Community Land Trusts and will
shortly consult on new proposals to support this kind of
development and help people on modest incomes to access home ownership.
In 2003 we introduced a new option for billing authorities to
give less than 50% discount to second home owners. This has been
widely adopted, eased the burdens on permanent residents, and
ensured that second home owners make an appropriate contribution
to the areas they enjoy.
It has meant that last year 251 councils across England have had
approximately £100million of additional revenue to spend as they
see fit according to local priorities - which could include
provision of affordable homes for local residents.
Notes to Editors
The Prime Minister asked Matthew Taylor, MP for Truro and St
Austell, to conduct a review on how land use and planning can
better support rural business and deliver affordable housing.
Matthew Taylor has explored how these issues can be addressed -
within the context of existing protection for the natural
environment - through the application of land use and planning
policy. His particular terms of reference are:
* The identification and release of appropriate land for local
economic development and affordable rural housing provision,
working in conjunction with local government, parish councils and
land owners;
* Investigating the potential for increasing the provision of
live/work space within rural communities;
* Assessing the local implementation of new planning rules on
rural housing following the recommendations of the Affordable
Rural Housing Commission.
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