Farming in the Uplands - ARCHIVE: Defra

52 Farming in the Uplands
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 limited to providing
affordable housing and whether retired farmers and current farm workers will be
able to take advantage of the scheme. (Paragraph 98)
25. We recommend that Defra work across Government to ensure that the national
planning framework has a flexible and less restrictive approach to housing in rural
areas. The planning framework should enable local communities to seek innovative
and cost-effective solutions to the problem of affordable housing in rural areas, for
example through use of defence estate properties that are becoming vacant.
(Paragraph 102)
National Parks
26. We support the purpose behind the CRC’s recommendation that National Park
Authorities have an additional statutory duty relating to social and economic wellbeing.
The Authorities’ duties to the landscape and environment and the people who
live, work and cherish those landscapes should have equal status. There appears no
reason why the Sandford Principle should not be preserved and applied to a third
statutory duty. We recommend that the Government seek an appropriate legislative
vehicle to make this change and to introduce greater flexibility. (Paragraph 108)
27. We conclude that some Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), that cover rural areas,
appear to lack interest in, and knowledge about, rural issues. In addition, significant
rural areas are not currently covered by LEPs. We encourage rural and farming
representative organisations engage with LEPs. We recommend that Defra engage
with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about including
consideration of rural needs, where appropriate given the geography, as part of the
criteria for selection of future LEPs. (Paragraph 113)
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28. There is a lack of clarity about the current position and how Rural Development
Programme for England (RDPE) funding will be provided now and in the future. We
recommend that Defra provide a clear and precise description of how funding will be
provided across the country, with or without LEPs. We further recommend that
Defra produce clear guidance for farmers and rural communities as to how RDPE
funding will be administered now and in future. (Paragraph 114)
29. Any confusion about how RDPE funding will be administered compounds the
difficulties farmers and local communities encounter in receiving information and
accessing funding. We recommend that the Government explore a simpler means of
gaining access to rural funding, of all kinds, through a one-stop-shop. (Paragraph
115)
30. We recommend that Defra only use LEPs as a focus for delivery of RDPE funding in
future (after 2013), when they have demonstrated that LEPs have sufficient
geographical extent to benefit farmers in all rural areas and have sufficient skills, local
knowledge and interest to assist with rural businesses. In the intervening time RDPE
funding is to be delivered by Defra. We remain to be convinced that the department