§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What were, by region for each of the last 10 years, (i) the amount of land being made available for affordable housing in rural areas; (ii) the proportion built on; and (iii) the proportion that is (a) green field and (b) brownfield. [HL4199]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe annual statistical bulletinLand Use Change in England provides by English region information on the proportion of new housebuilding on brownfield sites. However, the information collected does not distinguish affordable from general market housing.
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What measures they are using to increase the uptake of brownfield sites for affordable housing in rural areas. [HL4200]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonOur planning policies expect suitable brownfield sites to be developed before greenfield sites and local authorities to make sufficient land available to meet the housing needs of local people in rural areas. The increased funding we have provided through the Housing Corporation's approved development programme, local authority expenditure and the use of planning powers to secure affordable housing are expected to deliver 9,000 homes annually in rural areas in England by 2003–04.
31WA
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the total number of Rural Exception Sites and their relative value for each of the last 10 years. [HL4201]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonLocal authorities in England are asked to provide information on affordable housing delivered through the planning system as part of their annual housing investment programme returns. On the basis of their responses, in 1999–2000, 466 affordable homes were completed on rural exception sites and in 2000–01 there were 321 completions and planning permission was granted for a further 407 homes. In previous years this information was not collected centrally.
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to alter the right to buy scheme for affordable housing in rural areas. [HL4202]
Lord Falcolner of ThorotonWe have no plans to make any changes to the right to buy scheme in rural areas, or otherwise.
However, we have been encouraging local authorities to consider using existing possibilities to restrict the resale of right to buy properties to local people. Under the legislation local authority landlords selling properties located in national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty or rural areas designated for this purpose have discretion to impose restrictions on their resale. An owner may be required to offer the property back to the landlord (if they wish to resell within 10 years) or to people who have lived or worked locally for three years. We want to make sure that more of the existing housing in rural areas is available to local people. There are currently 24 designated rural areas and our November 2000 Rural White Paper Our Countryside: The Future encouraged other local authorities to consider seeking designation.
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What recent research the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions has undertaken on the relationship between tenants living in affordable housing in rural areas and social exclusion. [HL4203]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe department has not carried out any recent research studies which explicity address the relationship between tenants living in affordable housing in rural areas and social exclusion.