The use of empty privately owned homes would significantly increase affordable housing provision in some high demand rural areas, according to a report published jointly by the Commission for Rural Communities and the Housing Corporation.
The Use of Existing Housing Stock in Rural England is the first study to review a raft of measures introduced by housing associations and local councils as additions to newly built housing.
The report makes 11 recommendations. These include the proposal that affordable housing providers should employ empty property strategies and strengthen links between private landlords and housing benefit departments. Such a move, using private sector leasing and rent deposit schemes, would help to bring some of the 128,000 empty homes in rural areas identified in the report back into use and further help local residents priced out of the private market to rent or buy a home affordably.
Alongside the use of empty homes, the report also recommends that:
Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, "I personally think we need to put a greater emphasis on increasing housing supply in the future.
"That may mean, for example, changing the planning regulations to make sure that more housing comes forward.
"It also means changing the social culture in this country where too often the case has been that people have been protective of their own space and not wanted to see more affordable housing being built.
"That is something we really need to root out.
"There is a need for more affordable homes to be built and that is going to be a personal priority for me."
Ms Kelly acknowledged that the Government's priority on housing in the years after 1997 had been based on refurbishment of existing stock, rather than reversing the trend of declining council home construction. But she insisted that the emphasis of policy had now shifted towards building new homes.
"The number of social homes has been on a long-term downward trend, although it is starting to turn round," she told Today. "Over the next few years, 30,000 social homes will be built every year.
"In the first years of the Labour Government, our priority, rightly, was to refurbish the stock of homes that already existed."
Ms Kelly agreed it was necessary to strike a balance between housing vulnerable families, such as the homeless and single parents, and local people who believe they have a right to a home in their own community.
"We have to strike a balance to make sure that people who are in the housing queue for longer also have the chance to be housed in new and decent homes," she said.
"That's why we have to ensure that many of the new homes are reserved for residents."
But she added: "The issue to do with housing, I think, is far more one to do with supply of social housing and affordable housing than it is to do with the allocation of housing.
Source: www.24dash.com
Rural communities received a major boost with the news that £230 million has been made available to build over 6,000 new affordable homes and provide opportunities for people to find a home they can afford.
The much needed affordable homes are to be built in rural communities across England, with funding allocated from the Housing Corporation's £3.9 billion National Affordable Housing Programme 06-08. It will build on the success of its 04-06 programme, which exceeded targets for rural housing set by the Government.
All funding decisions have been made in line with Regional Housing Strategies to ensure that allocations meet local needs.
Housing Corporation Chief Executive Jon Rouse said: "The Housing Corporation has a long and positive history in rural housing going back to 1989. The Corporation have funded the building of 26,000 homes in small villages across England.
"However so much more needs to be done. It is increasingly recognised just how great the problem lack of affordable rural housing is, particularly where people are unable to find an affordable home near where they work or close to their family and friends.
"We cannot do this by ourselves and need local authorities:"We are committed to continuing to work alongside regional housing boards and local authorities to tackle this problem and create more affordable homes in rural communities."
