The government published a report setting out how it was taking forward the recommendations of the Taylor review of the rural economy and affordable housing.
Source: Government response to the Matthew Taylor Review: Implementation Plan, Department for Communities and Local Government (web publication only)
Links: Report | Hansard | DCLG press release
Date: 2009-Nov
The government announced (following consultation) that affordable rural homes in thousands of newly designated 'protected' areas would be safeguarded for first-time buyers. The new rules would apply to all new shared-ownership leases for houses granted after 7 September 2009. More than 13,000 small rural settlements would be designated 'protected' areas across England under powers granted by the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008.
Source: The Housing (Right to Enfranchise) (Designated Protected Areas) (England) Order 2009, Statutory Instrument 2009/2098, Department for Communities and Local Government, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Statutory Instrument | Explanatory notes | DCLG press release | Response to consultation | Local Government Chronicle report
Date: 2009-Aug
A report by a committee of MSPs said that a planning system 'burdened' by a belief that the countryside should be protected from development was exacerbating a serious shortage of housing in Scotland's rural areas.
Source: Rural Housing, 5th Report 2009, SP Paper 256, Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs and Environment Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release
Date: 2009-May
The government published its response to a review of rural communities, and set out a package of measures designed to provide more affordable housing in rural areas and to give local communities greater freedom to tackle the issues facing them.
Source: The Government Response to the Taylor Review of Rural Economy and Affordable Housing, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Response | Hansard | DCLG press release | Taylor review | CRC press release | NHF press release | RTPI press release | Inside Housing report | Telegraph report | New Start report | RSN Online report
Date: 2009-Mar
