Following publication of the Affordable Rural Housing Commission’s report in 2006, rural housing has received significant national attention. Most recently affordable housing need has been re-emphasised within Living Working Countryside: The Taylor Review of Rural Economy and Affordable Housing. A mixture of housing types, tenures and affordability is crucial to ensuring sustainable rural communities.

Within Leicestershire the LRP, together with district councils and the Homes and Communities Agency, have supported the Leicestershire and Rutland Rural Housing Enabler – Richard Windley .

Affordable housing includes social rented and intermediate housing, provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Such housing is held in perpetuity so that it remains affordable for future residents. Within Leicestershire affordable housing is principally delivered through exception site policies and cascade/quota agreements.

An exception site policy seeks to provide a means whereby housing for local people can be provided where normal open market housing would not normally be allowed. Due to the high price of housing in many Leicestershire villages such pressures are particularly acute.

Richard works closely with parish councils, district council planning and housing officers, rural residents, Registered Social Landlords (RSL), the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and landowners to bring forward exception sites in rural communities.

The cascade, or quota, approach to delivering affordable housing is co-ordinated by the district councils. As part of new housing developments district councils require a percentage of dwellings to be affordable. The quota level differs between each district in Leicestershire.

District councils, who maintain housing registers, have lettings policies to ensure that people with a local connection are offered housing in the first instance.

There are key stages to the process to bringing schemes forward. Initially, with the support of the parish council, a Housing Needs Survey will be conducted. All households within a community are invited to complete a questionnaire which seeks to ascertain the level of need for affordable housing. If sufficient need is identified then efforts will be undertaken to secure a site, undertake local consultation on proposals, and finally apply for formal planning permission.

Currently, Richard is working to bring forward 36 affordable housing schemes – 6 schemes within each rural Leicestershire district. Richard is also working on 6 schemes in Rutland.

For more information please contact Richard Windley (or telephone 01530 276546)

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