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THE Conservatives have unveiled plans to revolutionise the provision of affordable rural housing.
 Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps unveiled the plans during a speech in the village of Rock, Cornwall.
The “rural housing revolution” would form the centrepiece of Tory solutions to rural housing where homes are now unaffordable to many families, he said.
It built on Conservative plans for returning power back to local people, with clear democratic accountability and decisions being made at village level.
People would be given greater control over the size, shape and “look and feel” of their community, said Mr Shapps.
Six out of the ten least affordable places to live in Britain were in rural areas.
They included South Buckinghamshire, St Edmundsbury (Suffolk), North Cornwall, the Cotswolds, North Dorset, West Devon.
Traditional village life was falling apart as thousands of young families were driven out of the areas in which they grew up, said Mr Shapps.
Schools, shops, post offices and pubs were closing across the country as house prices have soared throughout rural areas, he said.
“Labour has failed on housing across the country, but in rural areas affordability is pushing young families out and therefore killing off communities.
“We now need a rural housing revolution.”
A Tory government would return power to the heart of local communities.
It would give people the tools to build - literally if they wanted to - the affordable homes they needed.
“Instead of government sucking life out of rural areas, we will support communities as they take control of their destiny by building their own future.”
Local Housing Trusts be created so local people could develop new housing to benefit their community.
These bodies would have unparalleled power to develop new homes and other space for community use – subject only to the agreement of local people.
Homes built would be specifically kept – and made affordable – for local families.
The Tories would also back Community Land Trusts so communities could come together and build affordable homes.
“We will look at ways to free up land, access to resources and expertise and expect them to spring up across the country,” said Mr Shapps.
Finally, local authorities would be encouraged to establish a register of families who want to join a “self-build revolution”.
This would help councils assess demand and provide space for self-build communities within new local plans.
Tories unveil rural housing plans
THE Conservatives have unveiled plans to revolutionise the provision of affordable rural housing.
Shadow housing minister Grant Shapps unveiled the plans during a speech in the village of Rock, Cornwall.
The “rural housing revolution” would form the centrepiece of Tory solutions to rural housing where homes are now unaffordable to many families, he said.
It built on Conservative plans for returning power back to local people, with clear democratic accountability and decisions being made at village level.
People would be given greater control over the size, shape and “look and feel” of their community, said Mr Shapps.
Six out of the ten least affordable places to live in Britain are in rural areas, according to government figures.
Mr Shapps said traditional village life was falling apart as thousands of young families were driven out of the areas in which they grew up.
Schools, shops, post offices and pubs were closing across the country as house prices have soared throughout rural areas, he said.
"Labour has failed on housing across the country, but in rural areas affordability is pushing young families out and therefore killing off communities.
“We now need a rural housing revolution."
A Tory government would return power to the heart of local communities.
It would give people the tools to build - literally if they wanted to - the affordable homes they needed.
“Instead of government sucking life out of rural areas, we will support communities as they take control of their destiny by building their own future."
Local Housing Trusts be created so local people could develop new housing to benefit their community.
These bodies would have unparalleled power to develop new homes and other space for community use – subject only to the agreement of local people.
Homes built would be specifically kept – and made affordable – for local families The Tories would also back Community Land Trusts so communities could come together and build affordable homes.
“We will look at ways to free up land, access to resources and expertise and expect them to spring up across the country,” said Mr Shapps.
Finally, local authorities would be encouraged to establish a register of families who want to join a “self-build revolution”.
This would help councils assess demand and provide space for self-build communities within new local plans.
Last year, six of the 10 areas in England with the lowest affordability ratio are rural:
Local Authority Area Average earnings Average house price Price/earnings ratio
Kensington and Chelsea £42,965 £1,172,789 27.3
Westminster £35,670 £870,146 24.4
South Bucks £32,544 £589,976 18.1
St. Edmundsbury £27,302 £378,273 13.9
Oxford £29,237 £370,852 12.7
North Cornwall £20,611 £239,162 11.6
Cotswold £31,062 £353,561 11.4
North Dorset £23,857 £269,429 11.3
Camden £60,088 £656,740 10.9
West Devon £22,353 £243,721 10.9
Sources: (1) ONS data on earnings -(http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/ASHE_2008/2008_res_la.pdf); and (2) DCLG Live Tables on house prices (http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/housingmarket/livetables/)
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MANIFESTO: A new agenda for rural Britain
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It is however the phrase "subject only to the agreement of local people" that is most concerning. This implies that if local people want it then a scheme will happen (and presumably if they don't, it won't). Who then will consider the representations of agencies such as the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Local Highway Authority etc. Who will also consider safeguarding the amenities of neighbours. Directly affected parties may be in a minority, perhaps of one, so the majority may not have much interest in protecting them. Will the normal requirements relating to planning applications apply? If not, why not, and if they do, then why not have the determination made by the Local Planning Authority?
There is plenty of scope for more rural affordable housing to be brought forward under rural exceptions policies in existing Local Plans/LDFs. Better to promote new initiatives for using the existing system to deliver this than to try to grab headlines by with proposal which raises as many questions as it answers.