Rural Affordable Housing Rural Affordable Housing in the Cotswolds- an in the Cotswolds- an

Oxfordshire PerspectiveOxfordshire Perspective

Tom McCullochTom McCullochRural Housing EnablerRural Housing Enabler

Oxfordshire Rural Community CouncilOxfordshire Rural Community Council

Housing affordable to those who Housing affordable to those who cannot afford market cannot afford market

priced housing locally to priced housing locally to

either rent or buyeither rent or buy

West Oxfordshire DC- West Oxfordshire DC- Affordable Housing on Rural Exception Affordable Housing on Rural Exception SitesSites

Affordable Housing- why is it Affordable Housing- why is it needed in rural areas?needed in rural areas?

• House prices: £256 000 House prices: £256 000

• Income: lowerIncome: lower

• Cost of living: higher Cost of living: higher

• Rural homelessness: growingRural homelessness: growing

Affordable Housing- BenefitsAffordable Housing- Benefits

• Social cohesionSocial cohesion

• ServicesServices

• Family supportFamily support

• Local residents want affordable Local residents want affordable housinghousing

• The local need is there The local need is there

How to deliver rural affordable How to deliver rural affordable housing housing

• Local planning policyLocal planning policy

• Community Land TrustsCommunity Land Trusts

• Community Right to BuildCommunity Right to Build

• Rural Exception SitesRural Exception Sites

Rural Exception Sites (RES) in Rural Exception Sites (RES) in West OxfordshireWest Oxfordshire• RES developmentsRES developments

– small scalesmall scale– local needlocal need– local connectionslocal connections

• AONB policyAONB policy• CompletionsCompletions

– 91 units in AONB91 units in AONB– 28 units pending28 units pending– 200+ total units in West Oxfordshire200+ total units in West Oxfordshire– 100+ units pending100+ units pending

Oxfordshire Rural Housing Oxfordshire Rural Housing Partnership (ORHP)Partnership (ORHP)

• RESRES

• Homes and Communities Agency- highly Homes and Communities Agency- highly effective delivery mechanismeffective delivery mechanism

• 300+ completed, 100+ pending300+ completed, 100+ pending

• Local homes for local people (S106 Local homes for local people (S106 agreement)agreement)

• Code 3 building regulations (sustainability)Code 3 building regulations (sustainability)

• Local building styleLocal building style

• Consultation, consultation!Consultation, consultation!

Woodstock (2010)Woodstock (2010)

Stonesfield (2002)Stonesfield (2002)

Ramsden Ramsden

(2010)(2010)

Southmoor, Vale (2007)Southmoor, Vale (2007)

ChallengesChallenges

• National affordable housing budget: £4.5 National affordable housing budget: £4.5 billion over 4 years (60% cut) billion over 4 years (60% cut)

• £2.3 billion allocated- £2.2 billion remains£2.3 billion allocated- £2.2 billion remains

• Target- 150 000 new homesTarget- 150 000 new homes

• Intermediate rent- up to 80% of market Intermediate rent- up to 80% of market valuevalue

• Structural ‘un-affordability’? Structural ‘un-affordability’?

• DEFRA- rural housing 1 of 4 prioritiesDEFRA- rural housing 1 of 4 priorities

• Difficulties ahead but ORHP well-placedDifficulties ahead but ORHP well-placed

Final words…Final words…

‘‘Decent housing helps give Decent housing helps give people a sense of dignity and people a sense of dignity and

pride. We feel very lucky.’pride. We feel very lucky.’

‘‘We’d lived in this parish for over We’d lived in this parish for over 40 years but wouldn’t have 40 years but wouldn’t have

been able to stay if we hadn’t been able to stay if we hadn’t been offered this home. Now been offered this home. Now we can help out with our new we can help out with our new

grandson.’grandson.’

‘‘These homes are playing an These homes are playing an invaluable part in protecting invaluable part in protecting

the future of the village the future of the village because local people whose because local people whose

families have lived in the area families have lived in the area for generations were being for generations were being squeezed out by wealthier squeezed out by wealthier

newcomers.’newcomers.’