§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will require local authority housing services to include an empty homes strategy in their published housing strategies. [35894]
§ Mr. RaynsfordLocal authorities are expected to produce a housing strategy covering all aspects of housing as they have responsibility towards their tenants and residents to make sure that the best use is made of all housing in their area. This strategy is used as part of the assessment on which the allocation of capital resources is based. Within this strategy local authorities should consider whether empty property in the local area can be brought back into use to meet local needs and set out how this will be achieved.
§ Mr. LevittTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how he intends to promote the availability of low-cost houses for rent in appropriate numbers in rural areas. [36057]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThrough the Capital Receipts Initiative we are making an extra £800 million available to local authorities in 1997/98 and 1998/99 which they will be investing in improvements to existing housing and the provision of new social lettings in both urban and rural areas in partnership with Registered Social Landlords.
Guidance issued by my Department to local authorities on the preparation of their housing strategies highlights the need to identify and prioritise rural housing needs alongside other housing needs in their areas. It is for local authorities to set priorities which guide the allocation of both the Housing Corporation's and their own funding for new social housing in their areas. However, for 1998/99 we have asked the Housing Corporation to aim for around 3.4% of the new social lettings approved under the Approved Development Programme to be in small rural villages with a population of 3,000 or less.
The rural "exceptions" policy enables local planning authorities to grant consent for sites which would not normally be released for development, to provide low-cost housing for local needs. In addition, our planning and affordable housing policy enables local planning authorities to seek the inclusion of an element of affordable housing in new housing developments. We have recently consulted on changes to the policy which will further assist the supply of affordable housing in rural areas.
292WThe Rural Development Commission also plays a key role in promoting low-cost housing in rural areas. In particular their Rural Enablers scheme aims to bring together local communities, local authorities, housing associations, landowners and developers to facilitate the development of social housing.