1. Rural Affordable Housing
The key to sustainable rural communities
Presentation by:
Jo.Lavis
Rural Housing Solutions

2. WHO LIVES IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
Housing Association
Housing Association
Owner-occupiers
Owner-occupiers
EVERYONE NEEDS SOMEWHERE THEY CAN CALL HOME
Housing Association
Owner-occupiers

3. Which is the Housing Association development?
Oxfordshire
North York Moors National Park
ALL
OF THEM!
Devon
Oxfordshire
Essex

4. Integral to sustainability of rural communities
Why is it important?
Integral to sustainability of rural communities
Social support
Jobs
Services
Reduce carbon
Independence
“The countryside is not only about the landscape, but the communities within it.”
Elinor Goodman – Affordable Rural Housing Commission
“In many cases just a few well designed homes, kept in perpetuity for local people will make the difference to the sustainability of the community”
Lord Taylor – Living, Working Countryside

5. WHAT IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
National Planning Policy Framework
Affordable housing:
Social rented,
Affordable Rented (up to 80% open market rent)
intermediate housing (e.g. shared ownership)
Provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market.
Eligibility is determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices.
Affordable in perpetuity or subsidy recycled for new provision
Housing and Planning Act - now includes ‘Starter Homes’
but not on rural exception sites

6. A problem in rural Oxfordshire
Lower quartile income: house price ratio
Cherwell
S. Oxf 11.66
VoWH 12.50
W. Oxf
% of those in need who can only afford social rent or less
Cherwell 56%
S. Oxf 48%
VoWH 61%
W Oxf 64%
% social housing in villages
Cherwell 8%
S. Oxf. 11%
VoWH 12%
W Oxf 11%

7. At the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework is a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which should be seen as a golden thread running through both plan-making and decision-taking.
NPPF – 54
In rural areas LPAs should be
responsive to local circumstances
plan housing to reflect local needs, particularly for affordable housing
NPPG – Rural Housing
all settlements can play a role in delivering sustainable development – and so blanket policies restricting housing development in some settlements and preventing other settlements from expanding should be avoided unless their use can be supported by robust evidence.

8. 3 Routes for Positive Planning to deliver rural affordable housing
Allocated sites in Local Plan
Market led With affordable housing contribution
Set out in policy
(part of 5 yr land supply )
Windfall site
Market led with affordable housing contribution
Rural Exception Site
Rural affordable housing to meet local housing needs in perpetuity
Criteria in Local Plan policy

9. The essential elements
Collaborative and positive action at ALL stages
The essential elements
Community support
Perpetuity arrangements
Evidence of
need
Willing Developer
Finance
Deliverable site

10. Not without its challenges
“Wrong type of housing in the Wrong place”
Out of date Local Plans
Lack of 5 year land supply
10 unit threshold for affordable housing contributions
with weak rural safeguards
Cuts in grant/finance
Lack of RP interest in rural schemes
Voluntary Right to Buy ?
Landowners price expectations

11. Positive response –strategic planning policy
Evidence your rural needs
Positive RES policy with ltd. X subsidy & pegged land price
Respond constructively
“How will this make my community more sustainable?”
Use Court of Appeal flexibility
Use commuted sums and RTB receipts
Allocate small sites in villages

12. Positive response at community level Rural exception sites
Generally small – up 20 units – usually around 12
On the edge or within the built up area of the village
Would not normally be considered appropriate for development
Allowed because they:
Meet identified local housing needs
Provide affordable housing in perpetuity
Will be let to people with an affordable housing need AND a local connection
Can have market housing but ONLY if it significantly increases supply of affordable housing
Land value reflects these are NOT development sites

13. = = Land Value is critical LAND = £9.3k per plot LAND = £20k per plot
Development costs
Grant
Grant
Development costs
Private loan
Private loan
Land cost
Land cost
Deficit (£907k)
M&M costs
M&M costs
Deficit (£33k) = =

14. Positive response at community level
Community Land Trusts are local organisations set up by ordinary people to own and manage affordable homes for the benefit of their community
3 routes
Partnership
CLT owns freehold
HA has long lease, builds and manages the homes
Standalone
CLT owns freehold, builds and manages properties
Mixed approach
CLT owns and buys in management from housing association

15. YOU CAN Positive Steps at community level
Local Housing Needs Assessment
ONS data
LA – Choice Based Lettings data
Property web-sites
Find out who in our community needs housing?
Call for sites
Village ‘walk about’ with planners & HA
Does the parish council own any land?
Would the church be willing to sell/lease
Help find the best site

16. Positive Steps at community level YOU CAN
Have a say in what the scheme looks like
Open events – exhibitions
Concept statements
Planning for Real
Have an input into the allocation process
Be consulted on the S106 Agreement
Have a Local Lettings Plan
as part of the allocatins process

17. NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT AGAIN!
YOU DID IT ONCE
NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT AGAIN!
Oxford Close - Kingston Bagpuize