New power for parish councils to boost affordable rural housing

Housing and Planning Minister John Healey will give a boost to rural communities with proposals to give a special planning power to parish councils to build new affordable homes.

The proposals, to be consulted on this summer, will allow a limited number of affordable homes to be built in rural villages without the need for individual planning applications where the parish council backed the new homes.

Healey wants to extend 'permitted development' rights so that a maximum of 10-15 new affordable homes could be built when parish councils have set out clear evidence and design expectations. This means decisions on how many homes are required, what they look like and where they are built would be taken locally by those who are closest to what local communities need and want.

New guidance on social housing allocations Healey published in December has also strengthened the scope for local authorities to ensure that people living and working locally are given more priority for affordable housing in rural parishes.

Healey proposes to make the new permitted development right available to parish and town councils in settlements of less than 3000 people where the council identifies a registered social landlord as their development partner. He also confirmed that Green Belt, habitat sites and other important designated protections will be retained.