Where to now on Rural Housing Minister?

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation Commission on Rural Housing in Wales says that with house price increases of more than 150% in Wales’ nine predominantly rural local authorities between 2000 and 2007, the average house price to income ratio now exceeds five-to-one, meaning serious problems of affordability, sharp increases in homelessness and a limited housing supply.As on of the leading authorities on housing issues this Rowntree report is very serious reading for government and opposition alike.
With a net annual shortfall of 3,800 properties in rural Wales, 25,000 households on local authority housing registers and a 309% increase in homelessness between 1978 and 2005, the commission claims current and projected affordable housing supply will not be sufficient, and a “seismic” upward shift in provision is required to meet the need.It warns that there will be “far heavier future social, economic and cultural costs” unless there is immediate extra funding.

It attacks an excessively “regulatory, reactive and rigid” planning system, which hinders the development of new solutions to rural housing needs.Derec Llwyd Morgan, the commission’s chair, said: “The commission found there is a huge unmet need for affordable housing in rural Wales. Meeting the need requires urgent action. Powers exist at local and national level to improve the situation, but a marked response will require cooperation, innovation, strong leadership and great political will.”
Today’s report says: “The sustainability of rural Wales depends as much on the social and economic wellbeing of its communities as it does on the protection and enhancement of its environment.
“The commission suggests the limited provision of, and restricted access to, affordable housing in rural Wales is threatening the social and cultural sustainability of many of its communities. There needs to be greater joined up working between and within WAG and local authorities to ensure policy is suitable for rural areas and housing objectives are integrated into other policy areas.”
The Commission’s recommendations are:
The better use of existing housing stock in bringing 18,000 vacant homes in rural Wales back into use;
the creation of a database of public land that could be used for affordable housing;
the tailoring of new national housing policies to rural conditions and needs;
the development by WAG of a more detailed and coordinated collation of evidence to plug gaps in its current methods of addressing housing needs; and
more effective use of planning powers by local authorities to deliver affordable housing, and a better relationship between authorities and private developers.

Lets hope Jane Davidson and her deputy Jocelyn Davies can make some positive moves on this situation. The problem is now rearing its head in Valleys and Urban areas too. Housing is something that should be a major priority and not just the ever growing scourge of expensive boxes that see to be engulfing us in certain areas.Good affordable social housing and council provision is very necessary.