What impact is the shortage of affordable rural housing having on the rural economy? Lords to hear evidence

What impact is the shortage of affordable rural housing having on the rural economy? Lords to hear evidence

On Tuesday 6 November the House of Lords Select Committee on the Rural Economy will ask the National Housing Federation, Rural Housing Alliance and the Federation of Master Builders how the rural economy is affected by shortages of affordable housing in rural areas. The Committee will also hear from academic experts and campaign bodies on the role of the planning system.

A recent IPPR study on rural affordable housing found that the average rural house price is around £19,000 above the average for England and that only 8% of the housing stock in rural areas is affordable to local people.

The Committee will ask what can be done to address this issue, and ask about the impact that second homes and the Right to Buy have had on the cost of rural housing. The Committee will also ask whether the removal of the cap on local authorities’ borrowing powers will make a difference to council house building in rural areas. In its second session of the morning, the Committee will explore the impact of national and local planning policy, and ask whether neighbourhood planning needs reform.

The Committee will begin taking evidence at 9.45am and will question:

Monica Burns, External Affairs Manager and Rural Lead, National Housing Federation Chris Carr, Federation of Master Builders Martin Collett, Chairman, Rural Housing Alliance

The second evidence session will begin at 10.45am and will question:

Professor Gavin Parker, Professor of Planning Studies, University of Reading Mr Matt Thomson, Head of Planning, Campaign to Protect Rural England Mr Hugh Ellis, Interim Chief Executive, Town and Country Planning Association

The evidence session will be held in Committee Room 1 in the House of Lords. Other topics the Committee are likely to cover include:

What is the role of neighbourhood planning in rural housing delivery and how might take-up be further encouraged?Will the recent changes to the NPPF will deliver for rural areas, including in terms of rural housing supply and the delivery of rural affordable housing? What are the main challenges private builders face in delivering homes in rural locations, and how might these challenges be addressed?Could Homes England be doing more to help deliver housing in rural areas?