A Source of Contention: Affordable
Housing in Rural Wales
A Source of Contention: Affordable Housing in Rural Wales
Dr Eilidh Johnston
September 2003, £10
ISBN 1 871726 98 0
A failure by planning authorities to have up-to-date housing needs
assessments in their areas has prevented them from using existing
planning mechanisms to increase provision of affordable housing for
local people in rural Wales. Instead, some have attempted unsuccessfully
to place restrictions on outsiders buying homes in areas such as the
National Parks where high demand is forcing prices out of reach of
local people.
These are among the conclusions in a new report from the Institute
of Welsh Affairs, A Source of Contention, Affordable Housing in
Rural Wales, which will be launched at a conference in Aberystwyth
today (Monday September 22nd).
Planning authorities have the ability to require property developers
to include a proportion of affordable homes in any new schemes. They
can also allow the development of affordable homes in areas where
permission would not normally be granted, such as the edge of villages.
However, the lack of up-to-date needs assessments have made the application
of such policies vulnerable to challenge in public inquiries, with
the result that they have not been used to the extent they might.
The IWA’s report is an attempt to find solutions to one of the
most difficult issues facing contemporary Wales – the impact
on local communities of rising house prices that have put buying a
place of their own beyond many low-paid young Welsh people when competing
against rich incomers wishing to retire to rural Wales from other
parts of the UK.
It warns, however, that although better use of the existing planning
system will make some difference, it will not be enough on its own
to solve the problems. “Wider policies related to training and
job creation are likely to have a greater role to play in tackling
inequalities in the housing markets of rural Wales,” Dr. Eilidh
Johnston, former senior research fellow at the Institute of Welsh
Affairs and author of the report, argues.
The report was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and took a
year to produce. It is based on questionnaires and interviews in the
three national parks – Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast, and Brecon
Beacons – and Ceredigion, plus research in similarly affected
areas elsewhere in the UK. It found common concern everywhere in the
Welsh study area that affordable housing was in short supply, and
a strong belief that housing should be provided for local people,
specific age groups or in response to local economic growth.
The current situation was seen to be exacerbated by the reduction
in the stock of council housing over the past 20 years as a result
of Right to Buy legislation and the decline in new council housing
provision, coupled with a preference by developers for luxury homes
targeted at incomers.
The report reviews some of the steps taken elsewhere in the UK in
other national parks to increase the availability of affordable housing
and says similar action could be taken in Wales, though it points
to some difficulties with this approach and cautions that local occupancy
restrictions should be used only in very specific developments or
areas.
“While the planning system currently contains powerful tools
for providing affordable housing in perpetuity, lack of housing needs
data can prevent their use. Accurate and current data on housing need
is essential if affordable housing policies are to be defended at
public inquiries, and would form a sound basis for negotiation with
developers, “ it states.
Much local need is also hidden, the report notes. Evidence from youth
discussion groups pointed to the limitation of using waiting lists
as indicators of need. Individuals often did not join the lists because
of a lack of stock in their area and the belief they would not qualify.
Greater collection of locally specific data at community level should
also be encouraged. The ability to develop small numbers of houses
that meet local needs in terms of size and location is important in
avoiding local opposition and lack of uptake. Community involvement
can also help to identify suitable land for affordable housing development,
it says.
Also among the 14 recommendations is a call for current guidelines
on the impact of developments on the Welsh language to be made more
detailed. At present Welsh Assembly Government policy recognises the
need for Welsh to be considered as a factor when determining planning
applications but the policy is under–used because planners feel
it does not give sufficient guidance.
The report also want so see closer working between and housing and
planning authorities and the National Parks, particularly on affordable
housing developments, and it suggests Rural Housing forums of the
kind established in the Brecon Beacons and bringing together local
authorities, registered social landlords developers and community
representatives should be set up in other areas of high housing pressure.
It also calls for improvements in the Homebuy scheme, which seeks
to help first time buyers, and an increase in the residency time qualification
for Right to Buy and a reduction in barriers to “exceptions”
site building for affordable developments.
Some differences emerged in the way housing problems are viewed. Excessive
house building was a concern in Ceredigion, with respondents asking
for more planning restrictions. Poor housing conditions were a worry
in Snowdonia and Ceredigion, while second and holiday homes were perceived
as a problem in Snowdonia, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire but not in
Brecon.
The interviews conducted for the report also uncovered a degree of
hostility to housing association developments, with those calling
for more affordable housing generally referring to housing for purchase.
Private landlords and housing associations were frequently accused
of bringing in tenants from outside and of introducing problem tenants
to communities.
Speakers at the conference today at IGER, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth,
include Professor Harold Carter, former professor of geography at
Aberystwyth, Nic Wheeler, chief executive Pembrokeshire Coast National
Park, and Theresa McDonagh, principal research manager, Joseph Rowntree
Foundation.
Copies of the 60 page bilingual report (which was produced with financial
backing from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation) can be obtained for £10
plus £1.50 p&p) by calling 029 2057 5511 or by emailing
wales@iwa.org.uk
For further details contact John Osmond on 029 2057 3944 or johnosmond@iwa.org.uk
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