§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the provision of social and affordable housing in villages; and how proposals in the planning Green Paper would affect this. [52333]
§ Ms KeebleOur planning policies encourage the provision of affordable housing on allocated sites in villages and through the "rural exception policy". The exception policy is a special provision that applies only to rural areas and to sites, within or adjoining a village, where permission would not otherwise be given for new housing development. We have proposed to replace the present system of negotiated planning obligations with a tariff set by local authorities which will widen the type of developments contributing to affordable housing. The tariff would be spent in line with the priorities set out in local development plans, based on local and regional assessment. We expect the provision of affordable housing to be a high priority.