Community Housing Cymru welcomes Taylor Review on rural economies and affordable housing

Villages will become "exclusive enclaves of the elderly and wealthy" unless more affordable housing is built. This is according to a report titled 'Living Working Countryside' which has been delivered to the UK Government today.

The review commissioned by the Prime Minister recommends that a fundamental shake up of planning and affordable housing policy is vital to breathe new life and prosperity into rural communities and finds that long term under supply of housing in rural areas is holding rural communities back.

Community Housing Cymru provided evidence to the review earlier this year and Nick Bennett, Chief Executive of CHC commented: "Although this review applies to England, supply of adequate affordable housing in vital in Wales also. Just this week, Community Housing Cymru along with the Welsh Local Government Association and the Welsh Assembly Government announced the creation of six new rural housing enabler posts expanding the network in Wales to ten enablers."

"We also welcome the recommendation of trial planning rules designed to control further conversion of full time homes to second homes/holiday lettings in one or more of the national parks. In some rural areas of Wales 3% of homes are second homes. However, this percentage varies between local authorities. In Gwynedd 8% of homes are second homes; only two other authorities in Britain have a higher proportion of second homes, Argyll & Bute in Scotland and South Hams in Devon. "

The report also recommends a new drive to boost rural jobs and community led affordable housing through enterprise hubs, greater home working, neighbourhood extensions to market towns and rural exception sites for local people in villages.