Living Working Countryside

At the end of July 2008, Cornish MP Matthew Taylor called for a fundamental shake up of planning and affordable housing policy to breathe new life and prosperity into rural communities.

His independent review, 'Living Working Countryside', commissioned by the Prime Minister, has found that the high cost of homes coupled with the low wages of rural workers are creating unsustainable pressures that threaten the future of rural communities.

Of particular note his recommendations on affordable housing for villages are as follows:

• A new ‘community led affordable housing’ initiative, encouraging rural communities to develop small groups of affordable housing for local people to rent or buy where they meet criteria of local support, good design, and are affordable in perpetuity to meet local housing needs;
• New encouragement for landowners to offer land for this affordable housing at affordable prices, including options for nominating a family member or employee for some of the property if that helps bring forward more affordable homes needed for the community;
• The review also examines the issue of second homes and concludes that they raise issues for a relatively small number of smaller communities where lack of full time residents puts schools and other services at risk. It suggests the Government should trial planning rules designed to control further conversion of full time homes to second homes/holiday letting in one or more of the national parks.

The link to Matthew Taylor’s webpage is www.matthewtaylor.info where the full report can be downloaded.