Rural areas to get more homes
25 March 2009
The Government's announcement that it will relax planning restrictions to allow for more affordable housing in rural areas has been welcomed by Shelter.
But the Government has rejected calls to restrict the growth of second homeownership in the countryside.
Liberal Democrat MP Matthew Taylor on whose report the government’s proposals are based, broadly welcomed the response, but warned that ‘dozens’ of villages will die unless the wealthy are stopped from buying holiday homes in ‘desirable areas’.
Adam Sampson, chief executive of Shelter said:
‘We are very pleased to see Government has decided to take action to deliver urgently needed affordable housing in rural areas.
‘With house prices in rural areas 6.8 times the average household income, it is vital that people are helped to stay in the towns and villages they grew up in or the life-blood will be sucked out of these communities.
‘Local Authorities must now take these measures and do everything they can to ensure more affordable homes are delivered on the ground to safe guard rural areas.’
