Latest Blog from our Rural Housing Enabler: We Have An Act

We Have An Act!

The Housing and Planning Act 2016

Following a sustained period of review in the House of Lords, countless amendments, and several weeks of ‘ping pong’ from Commons to Lords and back again, The Housing and Planning Act was granted Royal Assent on the 12th of May.

The final Act is not yet available on the gov.uk website as all of the changes are undoubtedly being updated, however it is fair to say that the Government stuck to its position on most issues but did give way on a few important points.

There are several victories that should help to preserve affordable homes in rural areas:

·         The face of the Bill includes a clear definition of what is considered to be ‘rural’ for housing and planning terms:

(Paragraph 160, (3)) Any settlement with a population of fewer than 3,000 at the most recent national census or, any settlement with a population of between 3,000 and 10,000 people …and designated rural by the Secretary of State following representations from the relevant local authority.

This helps to uniformly clarify what can be considered for ‘rural exceptions’ in the future. There have been issues of consistency nationally over previous interpretations of the definition.

Rural Exception sites are exempted from the provision of the new ‘Starter Homes’ tenure, which would have resulted in homes being sold at full market value without local protection.

There is much more to report on in the Act, but until the final Act is published I am reluctant to go into too much detail.  I will follow-up with a complete review as soon as the final copy hits my inbox.

What remains uncertain is the outcome of the recent consultation on updating the National Planning Policy Framework.  There remain important questions to be answered whether changes might have a detrimental impact on delivery of rural affordable homes. 

If you would like to discuss either the Housing & Planning Bill or the National Planning Policy Consultation with me, feel free to contact me on:  0118 961 2000  or by email at: arlene.kersley@ccberks.org.uk

Neighbourhood Planning:  What, Why and How

Don’t forget to register for a place at this training event on the 30th June if you are interested in learning more about what Neighbourhood Planning can bring to your community and how to produce a Neighbourhood Development Plan.

Full details are on our website. Or register at the weblink: https://ccberks.wufoo.com/forms/x1maw30l0knk009/