Countryside Agency Archive
Breadcrumbs
More Affordable Housing Needed For The Countryside - 9 May 2000
Providing sufficient affordable housing is central to the prosperity and inclusiveness of the countryside, but without more effective planning and adequate funding these much needed homes will not be built, according to the Countryside Agency chairman Ewen Cameron.
"We believe there are ways to meet affordable housing needs in the
countryside. But first we have to ask ourselves a number of
questions: Is there the political will to resolve the problem? Do
we have the necessary planning powers? Are the existing mechanisms
being positively applied and exploited? Is there sufficient public
funding and are there effective ways of involving local people?" he
asked an audience of planners, housebuilders and regional and local
government officers in Maidstone today."Now is a critical time to influence the Government following the Housing Green Paper, and within months the results of the spending review and publication of the Rural White Paper.
"The lack of affordable housing in the countryside is creating a crisis for individuals and for rural communities. There is an urgent need to increase the supply of homes for people who cannot compete on the open market. In the South East in particular the high costs of land and market housing coupled with commuting patterns squeeze out those on low incomes, essentially young people."
Mr Cameron raised concerns that the debate about housing provision, particularly in the South East, had been polarised between providing houses or protecting the countryside. Both are necessary in a sustainable development approach, he said, adding that the Agency was exploring ideas for increasing the provision of affordable housing with Government and others.
"The need for affordable housing in rural areas ranks alongside transport as one of the main difficulties facing people in the countryside, it is vital that we address it", concluded Mr Cameron.
