← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
Rural Housing Targets
29 January 2025
Lead MP
Damian Hinds
East Hampshire
Con
Responding Minister
Matthew Pennycook
Tags
EconomyHousing
Word Count: 13489
Other Contributors: 14
At a Glance
Damian Hinds raised concerns about rural housing targets in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
The Government should reconsider the formula to ensure it does not lead to an excessive focus on rural development at the expense of cities and their significant contribution to economic growth.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
The new housing formula for rural England is set to double the target numbers for some areas, increasing from 575 to 1,142 units in East Hampshire. The concern arises over urban-rural divide and the potential negative impact on economic growth and decarbonisation efforts.
St Ives
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.
Ely and East Cambridgeshire
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.
Damian Hinds
Con
East Hampshire
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.
Greg Smith
Con
Mid Buckinghamshire
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.
Jamie Stone
LD
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
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.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
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.
Joe Morris
Lab
Hexham
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.
Great Grimsby
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.
Holden
Con
Rochdale
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.
Richard Holden
Con
Basildon and Billericay
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.
Paul Holmes
Lab
Lincoln
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.
Peter Prinsley
Lab
Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
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.
Honiton and Sidmouth
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.
Saqib Bhatti
Con
Meriden and Solihull East
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.
Government Response
Matthew Pennycook
The Minister for Housing and Planning
Government Response
The Minister stated that England faces an acute housing crisis blighting lives and hampering economic growth. He committed to building 1.5 million new homes, implementing reforms like the national planning policy framework to reverse anti-supply changes, and restoring mandatory housing targets. The revised standard method for assessing housing needs aligns with ambitions for 1.5 million homes, better responding to affordability pressures through a higher adjustment in its calculation. Local planning authorities can and do prepare local plans with lower housing requirements based on evidence. The Government directs growth to urban areas, not reducing the number of houses in cities as some claim. Green belt policy remains important but a strategic approach is taken for release where necessary, ensuring affordable housing and infrastructure improvements.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.