2016-17 Rural Housing Enabler Report - last blog from CCB's RHE Arlene

CCB Rural Housing

The year was characterised by uncertainty with regards to waiting for changes in the National Policy Planning Framework – which are not now expected until autumn 2017.   Brexit created turmoil in legislative terms which has stalled government from putting in place anticipated legislation clarifying affordable housing. Some good news came when Gavin Barwell announced there would be ne flexibility with regards to tenures and the HCA is now permitting some grant funding for affordable rents, although there is no specific amount allocated.

There remained during the beginning half of the year little parish interest in having either housing need surveys or sites appraised, however there has been a sudden increase in activity and interest across the board and demand for housing need surveys and site appraisals.  This is mirrored with Rural Housing Enabler (RHE) projects around the country.

What activity there has been of late has been largely landowner, agent or, developer led, which has led to much frustration on the part of the RHE who has found two key issues:
1 .Motivations for demand are largely financial, without any true understanding of the principle of rural exception sites.
2. Costs need to be charged back to private landowners/developers, which is fine, but often they are simply on the receiving end of free consultation and information before any actual costs kick in.

So with a heavy heart in December 2016, I decided that the time had come for me to leave the RHE Project in Berkshire.  A special meeting was called with the funding partners, who seemed surprised but relieved as ongoing funding may have been problematic.

The intractable problems of affordable housing shortages have not gone away.  Myself and Tim have been putting in considerable effort to ensure the RHE project can (and should) continue to operate across Berkshire and possibly the wider region as RHE coverage is diminishing beyond Berkshire borders as well.   The issue of affordable housing in rural communities should not be forgotten.  What is clear from housing survey evidence, is that really affluent communities in the area are already at tipping point.  Too unaffordable to have existing affordable housing, and therefore all the less interested in having any developed.   These communities are the most at risk as they will become victims of unsustainability in the future, particularly as they age.

Successes / Outcomes 2016-17

Housing Need Surveys 
In West Berkshire one Housing Need Survey took place during the year in Compton which was delivered in December 2016. The survey was in part funded directly by Compton Parish Council who took on the cost of printing, delivery and freepost costs of returns. 

CCB also undertook a survey on behalf of Community Impact Berkshire during the year as they no longer have a funded RHE.  The survey was funded directly by a local landowner.  We hope that this will form the basis of a longer term partnership relationship with CIB in delivering rural housing outcomes.

Neighbourhood Plans and Rural Housing
In February the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead (RBWM) approved the Hurley and the Walthams Neighbourhood Plan, which passed examination in January.  The plan will go to referendum shortly.  The Plan includes a policy written by myself  in support of rural exception site and since its publication I have seen an increased interest from landowners in the area in making land available for affordable housing.  2 site appraisals have taken place to date as a result.

Community Led Housing Fund
I was named as key contact for the Community Led Housing Fund and along with Tom Archer from the CLT Org. met with the RBWM Regeneration Group in February to discuss the RBWM options for putting this fund to best use.  This work will be ongoing and hopefully CCB will be able to help with the Community Engagement aspects of the RBWM project.
Training Activity
2 CCB/RHE led training events took place in during the year:
• Introduction to Affordable Housing at Calcot in February
• Housing Need Survey Training for RCCs in March 2017

National Activity
In the absence of local activity I continued to be a strong voice for rural housing at national forums and events. In February I relinquished her representation of the RHE Network on the Rural Housing Network and handed over the Chairmanship of the RHE Network to Mark Deas from Cambridgeshire ACRE.  The Network is in good hands and with activity picking up by the end of the year, the short-term future at least is secure.

CCB Neighbourhood Planning

Hurley and the Walthams NP
The year has been devoted to bringing the Hurley and the Walthams Neighbourhood Plan to final draft, getting it through its Regulation 16 consultation, and in November it finally went to examination.  In January the Plan passed examination but with the loss of 7 of the policies that were specific to the individual parishes.  However what did get through was an Exception Site policy that includes specific criteria for cross-subsidy.  At a meeting in February the group voted to accept the Plan as modified by the Examiner and it is expected that the Plan will go to Referendum later in 2017. During the year I attended and facilitated not less than 7 NP meetings, as well as editing and compiling all of the submission documents.

That brings a close to the RHE activity for the year in Berkshire, and heralds the start of a new Programme for the future.

CCB and myself in particular wish to thank all of the Partners for their longstanding commitment to the project. I have been very happy to have been a part of this project for the past 11+ years.

By Arlene Kersley, CCB Rural Housing Enabler
April 2017