Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that communities and local authorities work together to provide adequate numbers of affordable homes in rural areas when drawing up Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans.

The National Planning Policy Framework makes it clear that in rural areas, planning policies should identify opportunities for villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services. These opportunities should be explored in both local plans and neighbourhood plans that look to allocate housing.

The Framework also makes it clear that in rural areas housing development that reflect local needs should be supported. The rural exception sites policy specifically promotes the delivery of affordable housing in rural areas.

In addition, an £8.5 million ‘discounted homes’ pilot is being used to support communities who wish to bring forward affordable homes for sale through neighbourhood planning, many of these are expected to be in rural areas.