Consequences of NOT granting planning permission in rural England

I was truly shocked and appalled by some figures that came out last week, about rising house prices in the English countryside (where 2,592 Councillors are up for election on 2 May). The number of households in private and social rental properties in rural areas has increased by 550,000 between 2011 and 2021 and it found that rented properties - both social and private - now make up almost one third of all housing in England's county council regions.

A whopping 19% increase in rural renting is more than in London and England's other cities and rural house prices in the counties are the most unaffordable outside London at an average of £309,000.

Private renting prices have seen a 31% rise - higher than London's increase of 25%.

Waiting lists for council housing in the countryside increased by 10% between 2018 and 2023 and temporary accommodation use was up by 52% over the last five years. Meanwhile, rural homelessness had risen 18% over the last three years.

This represents hundreds of millions of pounds that Councils have to find from existing budgets to meet their statutory housing obligations.

Richard Clewer (Leader of Wiltshire Council), the County Council Network's housing and planning spokesperson, said: "It is widely accepted that the housing crisis is one that is worsening, with rising unaffordability locking hundreds of thousands out of getting onto the property ladder…[the report] sets out a number of important yet easily deliverable recommendations that, taken together, could accelerate the delivery of new homes of all tenures where there is most need."

Cllr Clewer knows what he is talking about…Homelessness in Wiltshire has risen by 70% over the past year. Wiltshire Council cabinet member for housing Cllr Phil Alford said the number of households in temporary accommodation had risen from 85 to 179 in 12 months.

Cllr Clewer said the increase was primarily down to the private rented housing market being "broken" and too expensive. He said "We're not expecting that demand to ease off anytime soon".

The council's overview and scrutiny management committee heard that there had been a surge in demand for temporary accommodation. Cllr Clewer said: "The reason temporary accommodation has increased is because the number of people on the housing register has gone up significantly and because, let's be blunt, the private rental market is now completely broken."

Five weeks from today, 107 Councils, mainly in rural areas will go to the polls with 2,592 Councillors and 10 directly elected Mayors up for election. These candidates have a big responsibility to ensure there are enough homes are given permission and built where they are most needed. If they fail in this task, they will be failing a whole generation that will be trapped in the rented sector with its ever increasing prices.

So, when the Council candidate comes knocking, ask them: “What are you doing about helping the next generation onto the housing ladder?”

Until next week,

Henry