Affordable rural housing: use of existing stock
| In this section |
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 Use
of existing homesSupporting
PeopleSecond
homes |
There are a number of different types of existing buildings that could be used to increase the supply of affordable housing, this includes empty properties and the better use of our existing social housing.
The ARHC’s recommendations sought to maximise the opportunities to use existing buildings to achieve sustainability gains of helping regeneration and reducing the need for new build.
The Government is fully committed to making the best use of existing
stock and to ensure that an appropriate supply of affordable housing is
available to those who need it, whether they live in rural or urban communities.
Use of existing homes
We are committed to supporting local authorities in reducing the number of long-term empty homes and promoting opportunities to convert redundant space within commercial property. The problems caused by empty properties in terms of blight and restricting housing opportunities for people who cannot afford to buy their own homes are equally applicable both in urban and rural areas.
We have introduced Empty Dwelling Management Orders,
which provide local authorities with an additional enforcement option
to bring back into use long-term empty homes where it is clear owners
are not willing to do so voluntarily.
We have empowered local planning authorities to
consider planning applications for conversion of Holiday Lets into affordable
housing. The Government encourages all local authorities, when they are
aware of any breach of occupancy conditions, to consider appropriate enforcement
action.
We will:
- work with the Housing Corporation, who are undertaking an initial investigation into housing association stock in rural areas, to consider research to investigate in more detail the nature of the existing social housing stock in rural areas and how it can be used more effectively to respond to changing needs in the countryside. The first phase of this work (data source review and data collection) is complete and the Corporation will be moving onto Phase 2 in due course.
Supporting People
Supporting People is a national programme, which funds and enables provision of housing-related support: ie support which helps people to maintain or move towards living independently in their own homes and in the community. For more information, see: www.spkweb.org.uk
The Government has designed Supporting People to work in two-tier authorities (through a requirement for the county council as Supporting People authority to include all districts in the Commissioning Body, which acts as the decision-making and oversight partnership).
We will:
- consider what approach to take to future Supporting People grant allocations, including rural issues (both in terms of demography and cost factors).
- in response to the changing needs of the population, ensure the needs of older people in rural communities are addressed as part of developing an older person's housing strategy. Communities and Local Government, the Department of Health and Defra are working closely together on this.
Second homes
The Government notes ARHC's conclusion that across rural England as
a whole the impact of second homes is modest. It does not intend introducing
a new Use Class Order for second homes, as recommended by the commission.
There would be problems policing such a system and it would be unfair
in areas where the presence of second homes was not seen as a problem.
In planning terms there is no material change of use whether a dwelling
house is used as a sole or main residence.
We introduced and have maintained the Council Tax discount on second homes. New powers for local authorities to reduce the discount on second homes from 50% to a minimum of 10% generated an additional £92m in 2005/06 for local services.
Page last
modified: 14 December 2007
Page published: 20 September 2006