Farming in the Uplands - ARCHIVE: Defra

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36 Farming in the Uplands for Communities and Local Government. 199 The driving force behind those recommendations was the conviction that upland communities required more affordable housing and local engagement in planning matters. Several witnesses, including the NFU and National Trust, referred to concerns about the lack of affordable housing in upland communities. 200 In oral evidence the CRC confirmed the importance of affordable housing but said that “people have given up on affordable housing in rural communities”. 201 The CRC also expressed concern that the spending cuts announced since the publication of their report could reduce the budget for creation of affordable housing in rural communities. 202 96. The Minister acknowledged those concerns. 203 He referred to the Home on the Farm initiative, which was announced in October 2010. 204 Under the scheme farmers and local councils are encouraged “to work together to secure the conversion of redundant and underused farm buildings to deliver affordable homes for local people”. 205 No central Government funding has been allocated to Home on the Farm—Defra state that “Local authorities may wish to offer incentives to farmers to carry out conversions to provide affordable homes for local people”. 206 97. Defra has confirmed that “affordable homes provided through ‘Home on the Farm’ will be for households in the local community, which could include non-farm workers or retired farm-workers”. 207 One advantage of the scheme could be to facilitate succession by allowing older farmers to retire on the farm. However, the Annex to Planning Policy Statement 7 (which covers conversion of agricultural buildings to dwellings) states: “New permanent dwellings should only be allowed to support existing agricultural activities on well-established agricultural units, providing the need relates to a full-time worker, or one who is primarily employed in agriculture and does not relate to a part-time requirement”, which would appear to preclude retired farmers. 208 98. The Government intends to publish a national planning framework which will include planning for housing policy. 209 It is essential that the Government’s national planning framework include policies to mitigate the problems of lack of affordable housing in EMBARGOED ADVANCE COPY: Not to be published in full, or part, in any form before 00.01am GMT Wednesday 16 February 2011 rural areas. The Home on the Farm scheme may be part of the solution to lack of affordable housing—we seek clarification from Defra as to how the scheme will work in practice. In particular, we expect Defra to clarify whether, ‘Home on the Farm’ will be 199 High ground, high potential, p 19. 200 Ev w12, Ev 65 201 Q 22 202 Q 20 203 Q 183 204 Qq 216–217 205 Ev 83 206 Ev 84 207 Ev 83 208 Planning Policy Statement 7, Annex A, p 21 http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/147402.pdf 209 Ev 84
EMBARGOED ADVANCE COPY: Not to be published in full, or part, in any form before 00.01am GMT Wednesday 16 February 2011 Farming in the Uplands 37 limited to providing affordable housing and whether retired farmers and current farm workers will be able to take advantage of the scheme. 99. The CRC recommended that communities have a greater role in approving small schemes of affordable housing. 210 The Rural Development Agencies Rural Affairs Network advocated “effective planning that allows community-led identification of priorities and subsequent local agreement on sustainable solutions”. 211 However, the NFU sounded a note of caution, expressing concern that community-led planning may favour policies “designed to maintain the appearance of the uplands rather than develop the productive infrastructure of agriculture in the uplands”, thereby undermining efforts to improve economic viability. 212 In highlighting planning issues, the NFU’s memorandum states that: The challenge is to ensure a joined up approach to planning that allows for local tailoring, but without becoming a means for local residents to block any undesired development regardless of its wider benefits. In terms of the wider uplands challenges, provision of low cost housing solves one of the challenges. There must be economic opportunity as well. 213 100. The Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) responded to the NFU’s concerns, stating that: During the inquiry familiar criticisms were levelled at the planning system as being obstructive to delivering affordable housing and to improving the economic viability, in broad terms, of upland communities. CPRE maintains its view that local authorities should work with the communities they represent to develop and agree development plans. Relaxing planning controls is likely to lead to less sustainable development and ‘planning by appeal’. 214 The CPRE went on to support a planning system that was “sympathetic to local landscapes and settlements”. 215 And concluded that: CPRE believes that great care is needed to avoid industrialising the uplands in pursuit of short term economic gain at the expense of long term social and environmental values. 216 101. The CRC recommended that CLG: Encourage public bodies that own land in the uplands (e.g. Forestry Commission, National Parks, Ministry of Defence) to make sites available for affordable housing provision at low cost, where these can contribute toward meeting needs. 210 High ground, high potential, p 19 211 Ev w7 212 Ev 64 213 Ev 65 214 Ev w28 215 Ev w28 216 Ev w28
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Farming in the Uplands - ARCHIVE: Defra

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