TCPA welcomes Taylor Review vision for a living, working, sustainable countryside » Housing » 24dash.com

Leading planning and housing charity, the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) welcomed the emphasis on the role of planning in delivering the two fundamental elements of a living, working countryside creating a more vibrant rural economy and meeting local housing need as set out in the final report of Matthew Taylor Review of Affordable Housing and the Rural Economy published today.

In response to the review recommendation of a new community led affordable housing initiative for smaller rural communities, TCPA Senior Policy Officer Fiona Mannion said: "The TCPA strongly supports the provision of more homes in rural areas to address both need and demand.

"Rural communities are suffering from higher than average house prices combined with lower than average wages due to high demand from an aspiration to live in the countryside. There is also a very constrained supply of social or low cost housing.

"By failing to provide affordable homes for the people who work in the countryside we risk creating gated commuter villages for the wealthy and retired.

"The TCPA therefore particularly welcome recommendations designed to encourage landowners to release land for Community Led Affordable Housing to deliver homes for local people that will remain affordable."

Masterplanning housing and economic growth to create new neighbourhoods and community extensions for rural villages and market towns is another welcome recommendation of the Taylor Review.

Fiona Mannion said: "In recent years there has been a strong trend of counter-urbanisation, with population and jobs moving from the cities to smaller towns and rural communities.

"Creative and innovative masterplanning of housing and economic growth is needed to accommodate the growing rural population, which is predicted to increase by 16% by 2028 according the Office of National Statistics.

"Rather than poorly serviced mono-estates bolted-on to market towns, we must plan for new neighbourhoods and community extensions which ensure that the housing provided offers a variety of tenure, with the provision of live/ works spaces and local services, all in sustainable communities where people want to live and work."

Providing a holistic approach to development, the Taylor Review explains the crucial role of the planning system in delivering sustainable communities.

Fiona Mannion added: "While the balance must be sought with environmental and landscape conservation concerns, the Taylor Review rightly recommends that planning policy takes into account the three elements of sustainable development, enhancing the economic, social and environmental sustainability of every community.

"Through the planning system we must ensure that development - planned and delivered in the right place at the right time - improves quality of life, providing homes and jobs, while protecting and enhancing the countryside and open spaces important to all of us."

The Taylor Review also recommends that the Government clarifies the relationship between the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and negotiated section 106 agreements.

In relation to this the TCPA have recently commissioned a study as part of the Future Planning project, the outcome of a collaboration between the TCPA, Rayne Foundation, Ethical Property Foundation, and Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), focussing on how to deliver higher levels of community infrastructure through participation in spatial planning.

The final outcome, a guide entitled Planning Community Needs A guide to effective Section 106 agreements & Statements of Community Involvement which aims to help planning practitioners and developers deliver better quality development that meets the needs of the voluntary and community sector, will be published on Friday 25th July.