The government is currently looking to change national town planning advice, in the National Planning Policy Framework, and also to amend planning law through the Housing and Planning Bill. The aim to deliver more houses.
Most of the attention is focused on delivering housing on previously developed or brownfield land in cities, towns and villages, rather than supporting farms and other rural businesses. But we want to make sure there is a clear understanding of how important it is to deliver rural housing to support our farming businesses and wider farming communities.
The government is also looking at what housing should be classed as‘affordable’.
They are suggesting it could it be a ‘starter home’; a new initiative where homes could be built which would not otherwise come forward for planning and would be offered at 20% less than market value for first-timebuyers aged up to 40.
They are also asking whether new homes in rural areas should only be available to people who have local connections and whether more Green Belt land should be used.
We need to hear our members’ experiences - as landowners trying to bring forward land to support their wider farm businesses and as employers trying to recruit farm workers whose families can continue to live and work close by.
- Further information about the consultation is available here.
- Please send your views to Suzanne Clear, senior advisor (planning and rural affairs), by emailing c3V6YW5uZS5jbGVhckBuZnUub3JnLnVr by 7th February.