Rural communities 'need more affordable housing'

The government is being urged to double its efforts in increasing the affordability of housing in rural communities.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) says that the government has made some progress on this issue but that the aims highlighted in last year's report by the Affordable Rural Housing Commission have not yet been met.

"If the government is serious about the provision of urgently needed affordable housing for rural communities, it should use the planning system to deliver it," said Tom Oliver from CPRE.

He explained that planning can reconcile the need for affordable houses with pressure to build market housing and legitimate concerns to avoid damaging development.

Some councils have been successful with Babergh District Council in Suffolk achieving 30 per cent of all new homes being affordable, plus South Oxfordshire District Council carrying out the first ever Empty Dwelling Management Order which allows it to take control of buildings left empty for ten years.


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