§ Lord Inglewoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they intend to resolve the inherent contradiction between their published planning policies on affordable rural housing and the published policies of the Department of the Environment's Housing section that housing associations should increasingly rely on private sources of finance which increasingly refuse to accept occupancy conditions imposed in accordance with planning policies.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Baroness Denton of Wakefield)Our planning policy for affordable housing for local needs in rural areas is explained in annex A of Planning Policy Guidance Note 3Housing. It states that where sites are released for low cost housing as an exception to normal policies of restraint, it will be essential for the planning authority to satisfy itself as to the adequacy of arrangements to reserve the housing in question for local needs, both initally and on subsequent change of occupant. In most cases the involvement of a registered housing association, with a suitable letting policy, should ensure control over future occupancy without the need for detailed obligations or conditions.