Are Rural Homes at Risk from Latest Government Initiatives?

As the Rural Housing Enabler for Berkshire I have grave concerns about the manner in which policy changes are currently being managed by the Government, in sound bites, issued from behind closed doors with little or no transparent consultation.  It would be for the benefit of the rural economy and rural communities as a whole if we could get a single document that spells out the full details of the proposals on rural housing, rather than sound bites that are causing confusing and uncertainty.

Over the course of the summer we have had a number of announcements made by the Government about the increased provision of ‘so-called’ affordable housing.  

In July the Government set-out its plans to extend Right to Buy Housing Association tenants in: Fixing the foundations, Creating a more prosperous nation. 

Does the taxpayer really support the Government’s initiative to sell off the countries assets for a short-term gain?  Surely this only favours tenants who have already had the benefit of subsidised rents.  If they wish to buy a home they can do so on the open market like anyone else. There are now more low-cost options to do so with a range of HomeBuy options available.

Last Thursday a new publication was issued: Towards a one nation economy: A 10 point plan for boosting productivity in rural areas, which proposes to allow Starter Homes on rural exception sites, a planning exception previously reserved solely for the provision of affordable homes in perpetuity for people with a local connection to a rural parish.

These initiatives have the potential to dramatically impact on the provision of affordable homes to the people most in need in rural communities.  This could eliminate homes for affordable rent and reduce the supply of land for future exception sites.  In addition to creating uncertainty with Neighbourhood Planning groups and rural parishes currently planning exception sites to meet local needs.

Today I have written a letter to George Osborne as follows:

“I read with some incredulity the latest Government edict; Towards a one nation economy: A 10-point plan for boosting productivity in rural areas.
Is it now the Government’s intention to redefine ‘affordable housing’ as homes to buy on the open market only?  This seems to contradict the National Planning Policy Framework, which indicates that affordable homes are: 
“Affordable housing: Social rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing, 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 housing should include provisions to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households or for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision…
..Homes that do not meet the above definition of affordable housing, such as “low cost market” housing, may not be considered as affordable housing for planning purposes.”
How will your proposed Starter Homes on exception sites be secured as affordable and for local people in perpetuity?  What happens to those people in the community who have no chance whatsoever of accessing a discounted home to buy? Is the Government going to incentivise landowners in some way to bring forward land for these discounted Starter Homes on rural exception sites, or will the developer pay full market value for the land?
I have worked with rural communities for the past 10 years to bring these schemes forward for the benefit of local residents.  Your proposals will undermine the entire concept of the rural exception site.  Why would a landowner provide land at a discount for affordable homes if they can hold out for open market value? 
In rural villages there are few homes to rent, what does exist may now be at risk from proposed right to buy changes. Needy local residents are now unlikely to access a truly affordable home on a rural exception site either.  
Unfortunately, several of the groups I work with have read the sound bites with interest, and without detail. They will put on hold current Neighbourhood Plans and rural exception site projects that may have come forward without this latest snippet.
I await with considerable anticipation the full details of these propositions and how they will be implemented.  Will they go the same way as the recent decision on affordable housing contributions on small sites?  Let’s hope it doesn’t get that far.”

Arlene Kersley
Rural Housing Enabler for Berkshire
CCB
arlene.kersley@ccberks.org.uk
0118 961 2000

Good News for the Boxford History Project

Press Release from BOXFORD HISTORY PROJECT

Revealing Boxford’s Ancient Heritage wins Heritage Lottery Fund support
Boxford History Project has received £62,700 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for Revealing Boxford’s Ancient Heritage: a community archaeology project. This three-year project under professional archaeological guidance will investigate three closely linked Roman sites near to Boxford village in West Berkshire. Previous work at these sites suggested Roman occupation in an area where little is known about the extent of early settlement.

In the past, our community archaeology has successfully drawn together people from a wide age-range and all walks of life. This time our volunteers will receive specialist training, with lectures and fieldwork, giving them the skills to interpret their local heritage, and identify, record and protect these sites.  Any finds will be displayed at the newly built Heritage Centre in Boxford.

Over the past three years, Boxford History Project (BHP) has been helped by the Berkshire Archaeology Research Group (BARG) and Cotswold Archaeology (CA) to undertake preliminary geophysical surveys of all three potential sites and identified varied building outlines, predominantly from the Roman period. Trial excavations took place on the largest of the sites two years ago with some exciting finds. This grant enables BHP in a formal partnership with BARG and CA to investigate the function, extent, status, chronology and relationship between the three sites, which seem to represent a significant focus of high-status Roman occupation in the Lambourn Valley, with the Roman Road, Ermin Street nearby. 

Commenting on the award, Joy Appleton said: “We are somewhat stunned but absolutely thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. We are confident that the project will enthuse locals and a wider audience to take part in the project and gain a greater understanding of what went on here in Boxford 2000 years ago.”

We hope as many locals as possible will join the team of volunteer diggers. There is a pre-dig training session led by Cotswold Archaeology at the church on August 24th at 7.30pm. Then we start digging on August 25th through to September 6th with a rest day on Bank Holiday Sunday. We plan to have a site Open Day on Sunday 6th September but more details on that later. If you can join us, please contact Joy at joy@appleton.uk.net and let her know which days you can make - for planning and insurance purposes. If you can bring trowels, wheelbarrows and mattocks - you'll gain extra brownie points!

 By Boxford History Project

West Berkshire District Council and Reading Borough Council successfully take on Goliath

On July the 31st a Judicial Review Decision was handed down in favour of West Berkshire and Reading against the Department for Communities and Local Government.  The case was regarding a Ministerial Statement made in November 2014 that fundamentally altered the ability of Local Authorities to plan for affordable housing needs on small sites and redeveloped vacant buildings.  

The Judicial Review effectively quashes changes made to National Planning Policy Guidance.  The court found that the Government had not taken under consideration the impact the change in policy would have where Local Authorities have adopted Local Plans, to meet their statutory housing obligations.

Because Local Authorities are required to write plans that are evidence based and meet the objectively assessed needs for market and affordable housing, the changes would have undermined their ability to do so without significant updates to their Local Plans that would have required identifying a significantly larger number of sites for housing development.

The judgement is detailed and complex, to read the full judgement see:  http://www.landmarkchambers.co.uk/userfiles/documents/West%20Berks.pdf

If you would like a detailed summary of the judgement you can contact Arlene Kersley the Rural Housing Enabler at CCB for her interpretation - arlene.kersley@ccberks.org.uk,

tel: 01189 612000.

The judgement has no direct impact on the development of rural exception sites, but as very few affordable homes are currently being built in rural areas and in tightly constrained urban areas, the decision should ensure that Local Authorities can at least provide what is planned for in their local plans.

Community Planning Update August 2015

Community Planning Update August 2015 by Tessa Hall, Community Development Worker

My work as Parish Plan Development worker, as supported by West Berkshire Council, has now come to an end.  They were very pleased with the work that CCB carried out in supporting communities with their Plans over the last 12 plus years, but have had to refocus resources to areas of greater need. If you are currently working on a new or refreshed Plan in West Berkshire, please contact Jo Naylor at West Berkshire Council. Her phone number is: 01635 503019 and email: jnaylor@westberks.gov.uk

Andy Day, Head of Strategic Support at West Berkshire Council commented in a recent letter; “I would like to thank CCB for your efforts in helping West Berkshire Council deliver its nationally recognised parish planning programme. We are grateful for the work CCB has done to support communities and assist them in the development of Community Led Plans. Your efforts to engage communities and understand the challenges of advising groups and brokering those relationships, especially in view of the often challenging group dynamics, have been very much appreciated.”

The Future
In spite of the withdrawal of funding by West Berkshire Council, the team at CCB remain committed to continuing to support communities across Berkshire with any community consultation or community-focused projects you might be working on, now and in the future. If you think we can help, please do get in touch. We may have to get creative in finding resources to provide this support, and there are some excellent examples of Rural Community Councils in other parts of the country helping with funding bids that provide the money to pay for the support required. 

Training
We do still receive funding from West Berkshire Council for the provision of informal adult learning, and will be delivering a training programme during the next academic year. We want to ensure that the training topics we chose meet your community needs. Please get in touch with me at Tessa.Hall@ccberks.org.uk or on 0118 9612000 and let me know what training you need to help you produce your plans, carry out community consultations and improve your community. In many cases, this training can be provided free of charge. Previous topics have included how to produce a questionnaire; how to find and keep volunteers; different ways to consult and training on the use of social media for community groups.