Rural Housing Targets

The hon. Gentleman pointed out the importance of rural exception schemes in achieving housing outcomes and keeping development land prices down. Planning should be about meeting need, not greed. The Prime Minister's policy of backing builders over blockers is putting greed before need. Setting house building targets has failed because it does not address local housing needs and leads to wrong type of developments. Explained difficulties in delivering on rural exception sites due to viability thresholds being hard for housing associations to meet, and suggested controlling second homes and building an intermediate market of affordable homes. There should be strengthened local authorities’ ability to use rural exception policy for affordable homes in green locations, suggesting paying 10 times agricultural value rather than 100 times for land prices.

Discussed the increase in rural homelessness, poor quality existing housing, lack of infrastructure, and proposed measures such as community-led development and holding developers accountable.

We need more housing everywhere and a shift to the sorts of homes that allow first-time buyers and young families to get on the housing ladder. The targets need to be realistic given material and workforce availability, accompanied by critical infrastructure.

The differential between what rural communities are being asked to build and towns/cities does not reflect fairness, as the Labour party often used to define itself. The disparity impacts Solihull's housing construction requirements compared to Birmingham’s reduction. Buckinghamshire has already built tens of thousands of new homes since the start of the century, with more controversial proposals on agricultural land. Villages are fed up with losing farmland and their rural identity due to development.

Described housing challenges in remote areas of Scotland, including a headteacher's daily commute due to lack of local accommodation. Emphasised the importance of affordable housing for young people and community development.

The constituency of Strangford faces real challenges with housing provision, including social housing cases where people need rehousing but the stock is not available. The Housing Executive in Northern Ireland invested approximately £204.13 million in rural communities and built 425 new social homes.

The MP highlighted the issue of young people being forced to leave their communities due to a lack of affordable housing and raised concerns about school closures and infrastructure needs in rural areas.

Local planning authorities can argue for lower housing requirements based on constraints, but the guidance is not clear. The Government believes all areas must contribute to solving the housing crisis and direct growth towards urban areas.

Asked about urban densification schemes and cited an example in Finsbury Park, which transforms a post-war estate into more homes, suggesting that similar approaches could mitigate pressures on green-belt areas.

Highlighted concerns about large developments in his constituency leading to pressures on local services, such as schools, and the worry that section 106 money might not be sufficient for these needs.

The hon. Member for Lincoln pointed out that Labour councils in urban centres are having their targets cut, whereas the Government's algorithm is making it easier to build houses in rural areas where infrastructure delivery is harder.

Highlighted the need for changes in rural exception regulations to build affordable housing that retains village character. Suggested adaptations for older residents, citing examples from Japan.

Asked why only a few local planning authorities have built houses using the rural exception sites policy. Asked the hon. Gentleman if he considers his local Liberal Democrat council successful despite its debt.

Discussed starter homes as a solution for young families in rural areas, questioning the current funding formula's impact on rural housing development compared to urban areas.