Affordable Rural Housing: A practical guide for parish councils · 2015-12-14 · Affordable Rural...

Affordable Rural Housing: A practical guide for parish councilsFrom the Rural Housing Alliance

Published by the Rural Housing Allianceand the Rural Services Network

Affordable Rural Housing: A practical guide for parish councilsFrom the Rural Housing Alliance

BROADGATEUK.COMCover image courtesy of Cornwall CLT | Designed by

Building a future foryour rural community

Building a future for yourrural community

6 6 Why be involved?

6 What is affordable housing?

6 What do you mean by local?

6 How long will it all take?

7 8 Who does what? Partnership working and what it means

10 10 Where do we start? Find out about local housing needs

11 Delivery Methods: Rural Exceptions Sites, Cross Subsidy, S.106/Quota Sites and Community Land Trusts.

15 How many and what type will be built?

17 Design: why affordable doesn’t mean cheap

18 Community consultation: involving local people

19 Funding: who pays for what?

19 Planning application to planning permission

20 Building works

21 Allocating the homes: who decides?

21 Consultation in action

22 What now? Managing the homes into the future

24 25 - 31 Case studies

32 Introducing community strategies

The basics

The partners

The result

The process

Contents

For many rural households,finding somewhere affordable to

live within their local communityremains a barrier, with homescosting over eight times theaverage salary in 90% of rural localauthority areas. This is anaffordability gap which, in manyareas, is even more extreme givenlow paid rural employment.

Tackling this national problemrequires strong community supportand, at the centre of this, is theparish or town council. There is nosimple solution and eachcommunity will need to considerthe range of options that areavailable and which one of thesebest meets their needs. Thispractical guide offers some usefuladvice and guidance to informdecisions that can ultimately securea small development of affordablehomes for local people in your owncommunity.

This guide, revised and republisheddue to popular demand, isproduced by the Rural Housing

Alliance and Rural Services Networkpartnership. The Rural HousingAlliance is a group of over 40housing associations that developor manage rural housing in Englandand the Rural Services Network themost comprehensive nationalnetwork representing rural serviceproviders, communityrepresentatives and nationalorganisations.

As Chairman of the Rural HousingAlliance I hope you find this guide auseful resource as you pursue yourown affordable rural housingproject.

Peter MooreChair, Rural Housing AllianceChief Executive, Cornwall RuralHousing Association

Building a future for your rural community

The absence of sufficient affordable homes in our rural communities is not a newproblem - in fact it is a problem that has got worse in recent years. High propertyvalues, increased aspirations to live in the countryside and limited development ofnew homes have all had an impact, resulting in many local households now beingunable to afford to remain within the rural community where they have grown up

and have support networks.

Small scale affordable rural housing developments help to rebalance communities,keeping families together whilst providing a boost for local services. Parish and town

councils are a driving force for change and a key partner in delivering affordablehomes for local people. Please take time to read this practical guide and think about

what can be achieved in your own community.

HRH The Princess RoyalPatron English Rural Housing Association

Foreword

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Why be involved? The most successful affordablerural housing developments areinitiated and supported by activeand committed parish and towncouncils. As you are often the firstto hear the concerns of localpeople, you can offer an insightinto the housing needs of the localcommunity and take the first stepsto tackle the housing problem.

Whilst this publication will refer toparish councils throughout, werecognise this includes towncouncils who often represent ruralcommunities.

This guide will give you an overviewof each stage of the developmentprocess as well as answering initialquestions showing you how to getinvolved and what roles andresponsibilities the other partnerswill take.

You might also want to seek advicefrom other parish councils whohave already developed affordablehousing. You might wish to visitcompleted schemes to see whatcan be achieved as well as hearabout the challenges and how they

can be overcome. Crucially,community consultation is at theheart of any affordable housingproject and this is where you, theparish council, can act as thecatalyst for action and futuresuccess.

What is affordable housing?

There is no blanket definition butthe aim of affordable housing is toprovide homes for people onmodest incomes, who can’t affordto buy or rent a home on the openmarket. The term includes rentedand affordable home ownership.

New affordable homes help sustaincommunities by offering localfamilies, couples and single peoplethe chance to stay living in theplace where they have strongconnections.

What do you mean by local?

‘Local’ generally means a personwho is:

l Currently resident in the parish

l Was previously resident in theparish

l Is permanently employed in theparish

l Is connected by close family stillliving in the parish.

You can read more about howthe homes would be allocated onpage 21.

How long will it all take?

It will always depend on theindividual scheme and how longeach part of the process takes. Asa general rule of thumb, it can takeover two years from the firstdiscussions of a project toresidents moving into their newhomes. A good deal of patienceand determination are required butthe benefits of new affordablehomes will support your villagecommunity for years to come.


Who does what? Partnership working andwhat it means

Providing affordable housing inrural locations often starts with theparish council but requiresinvolvement of local, regional andnational partners, each of whomhas an established role andresponsibility in the developmentprocess. Successful partnershipworking means being clear abouthow each partner will contribute tothe project and acknowledgingtheir unique or specialist role.

Here are some brief introductionsto the key partners with adescription of their primary role:

Parish council

You will provide specialist localknowledge and ensure communityconsultation is at the heart of theprocess, helping to facilitatecommunication and deal with localconcerns. Not only do parishcouncils initiate projects, they helpmeasure local housing needs,identify sites, comment on thedesign and layout and can offervaluable support as a statutory

consultee on any planningapplication.

Rural housing enabler (RHE)or enabling officer

A rural housing enabler will workindependently with localcommunities, parish councils, localauthorities and housingassociations, where funding isavailable for their post. A big part oftheir role is to liaise with thepartners in the process, helping toassess housing needs andpotentially suitable sites fordevelopment. This role is generallysupported by a developmentofficer from a housing associationor may be carried out in full by theassociation or local authority wherethere isn’t an RHE in place.

In this publication, the use of theterm enabler refers to either anRHE or an officer from a housingassociation or local authority with asimilar role.

Local authority

Some areas are served by two localauthorities – a district or boroughCouncil plus a county council, whilst

others just have one – a unitaryauthority.

District / borough councils andunitary authorities have anenabling role for housing and areresponsible for making sure thathousing needs in their rural areasare met. Many of them will havepolicies that recognise the need for,and support initiatives to provide,affordable rural housing. The localauthority is also usually theplanning authority.

The housing department willensure a project fits in with theoverall housing strategy for thearea and support the project by, forexample, providing data on thelocal demand for housing. It willalso help make sure that thehomes are allocated to the peoplemost in need and who meet thelocal criteria.

The department will also adviseand influence the Homes andCommunities Agency (see page 8)on its local funding priorities, andthe authority itself has the power torelease funding, if available, tosupport specific projects.

Affordable home ownership – peoplewho cannot afford to buy on theopen market purchase a share in ahome, usually paying an affordablerent on the remainder and live in itas their own.

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The partnersThe basics

Rural housing is a strategic priorityfor the HCA. The money availablefor new housing is allocated to theHCA from the Government as partof its Affordable HousingProgrammes. Over recent yearsthe level of investment has fallenand a greater emphasis has beenplaced on housing associations tomaximise alternative uses offunding, such as private loans,internal subsidies from reserves orexploring options such as crosssubsidy, where homes for marketsale are also included in thedevelopment and surpluses usedto help fund the affordable ones.The result of this funding squeezeis an increased emphasis onproject viability; with housingassociations wanting to be surethat a development representsgood value for money.

other parties and consultees

There are a number of statutoryconsultees for any planningapplication and the housingassociation will work with relevantbodies to identify any issues orchallenges early on in thedevelopment process. For example,the Environment Agency is chargedwith helping to protect theenvironment, manage waterresources and protect communitiesfrom flooding risks, so the housingassociation will liaise directly withthem.

Construction partners such as thearchitect and builder will also beinvolved, usually appointed by thehousing association based onexperience.

You will be informed when thesediscussions and decisions aretaking place. A private developermay also be involved should a“quota site” be progressed. There ismore about this on page 13.

The planning department will giveguidance on planning proposalsbefore an application is made aswell as process the applicationonce it has been formallysubmitted. The planningdepartment advises on theselection of a potential site, workingwith the enabler, housingassociation and parish council toconsider which ones are mostacceptable in planning terms.

Once the application is made, theplanning department will thenmake a recommendation to aplanning committee, made up oflocal councillors. This committeemakes the decision about whetherto grant or refuse planningpermission.

County council or unitaryauthority

In areas with both adistrict/borough council and acounty council, the latter isprimarily involved in new housingthrough the highways department,where it will make sure that anyroad access to a developmentmeets all health and safetyrequirements.

In recent years, county councilshave been able to make fundingcontributions to new ruraldevelopments and the parishcouncil often has a role inencouraging the release of land fora project. Some local authoritieswill contribute the New HomesBonus that they will receive to helpfund homes, on the basis that if thehomes are not funded they wouldnot be built and the local authoritywould not receive this payment.

A unitary authority will carry out allthe roles of both thedistrict/borough and countycouncils.

Landowner

A crucial contributor to any project,the landowner could be a localindividual or family, a farmer, theparish, district or county council, autility company or large estate. Todate, land for rural housing hascome from a wide variety ofsources.

Housing association

Most housing associations are not-for-profit organisations, includingcharities, friendly societies, andcommunity benefit societies,dedicated to providing affordablehomes to people in need. If ahousing association is in receipt ofpublic subsidy, which the vastmajority are, then legislationrequires them to be registered witha Government body, currently theHomes and Communities Agency(HCA), so that service standardsand the use of public money forhousing can be monitored.

You may also hear the term“Registered Provider” which isanother name for a housingassociation and all otherorganisations with an affordablehousing remit. For example,companies set up by localauthorities to help managehousing.

Housing associations are not onlyable to bid for public funds to helppay for new affordable homes butare committed to managing thehomes to a high standard andproviding a high quality service toall its residents, particularly throughcommunity investment (see page32). Regulatory requirements are inplace to ensure that all associationsperform to a set of nationalstandards including customerservice and empowerment,financial viability and value formoney.

Some housing associationsspecialise in rural housingdevelopment and have experienceof providing new affordable homesin consultation with localcommunities.

Homes and Communities Agency(HCA)

This is a Government body whichprovides public funding to housingassociations and also regulates theservice standards within thehousing sector, including thequality of services delivered toresidents. The HCA also regulatesrent levels, monitors the financialviability of housing associations andensures value for money.


New Homes Bonus – The New HomesBonus is paid to local authoritieseach year for six years. It is basedon the amount of extra Council Taxrevenue raised for new-build homes,conversions and long-term emptyhomes brought back into use. Thereis also an extra payment forproviding affordable homes.

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You will need to contact yourlocal authority housingdepartment to find out whoyour enabler is and how tocontact them.

You can also request a list ofhousing associations workingin your area. Sometimes thisinformation can be found onthe local authority website. Theparish council may wish toconsider the rural credentialsof these housing associationsbefore deciding who to contact.

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The process

Where do we start? Find out about local housingneeds

Any affordable rural housingdevelopment should be tailored toits community and environment. Itshould reflect the needs andaspirations of the people living inyour community. The wholeprocess is evidence based andevidence led.

Before any potential site isconsidered, it is essential todetermine how many people are inneed of affordable housing, whattype of housing will help them andwhat they are able to afford. Thisinformation, used throughout thedevelopment process, will showthat new homes are being providedin the place where they are neededmost.

How do you find out abouthousing need?

Some of the information aboutlocal housing needs can begathered via a survey. This wouldbe done by the enabler and they

are likely to ask for your help inadvertising or distributing thesurvey to local households andproviding local information for thereport, to ensure it has a localcontext.

In some cases, the local authoritymay have already conducted localsurveys as part of its district wideassessment of current and futureneeds and an additional localsurvey may not be needed.

Who decides whether to goon with a project?

The enabler will analyse the dataand make a recommendation onwhether there is enough evidenceof local housing need to proceed.You will then be involved inidentifying suitable pieces of landwhere any new homes might bebuilt.

Local people will have theopportunity to register their nameand address from the start of aproject if they are interested inhearing more about applying for anaffordable home.

This list, managed by the enabler,will be kept up to date and newhouseholds can be added at anytime. It ensures that the project willreflect the up to date needs of thecommunity.

Local people interested in applyingfor the homes must also registerwith the local authority if theyhaven’t already done so. Theimportance of this is explained onpage 21.

More often than not, as a projectprogresses, interest will grow and agreater need will be revealed thanwas uncovered by the initialresearch.

Delivery MethodsRural Exception Sites

“There isabsolutelyno landhere even ifwe wantedto buildaffordablehousing.” Just one comment often heard atthe start of a housing project that isfar from true! There is almostalways land for small developmentsin and around rural villages andtowns. These pieces of land are notlikely to have been allocated fordevelopment by the local authoritybut this doesn’t mean it’s a deadend.

Pieces of land known as ruralexception sites have beensuccessfully developed inconservation areas, National Parksand in those considered an Area ofOutstanding Natural Beauty(AONB), on greenfield sites andland in the Green Belt as well asland owned by large estates like theNational Trust, the Church ofEngland and the Crown Estate.

More often than not, a local farmeror family agree to make some landavailable for development, because

they care about their localcommunity and want to help toaddress the need for affordablehomes for local people. These sitescan only be considered under awell established planning policycalled the rural exception sitepolicy.

What is the rural exceptionsite policy?

It is an exception to normalplanning policy. Planningpermission is only granted on siteswhere it has been demonstratedthat housing is needed and thehomes provided will be affordableand reserved for local people as apriority in perpetuity i.e. now and inthe future. Small numbers ofmarket sale homes may also beallowed at the local authority’sdiscretion.

Land value on restricted sites likethis does not compare tocommercial sites where openmarket homes can be built. Thevalue is lower and acquiring land ata more affordable rate helpshousing associations deliver anaffordable scheme to local people.

You will be able to find reference tothe exception site policy in yourlocal authority’s local plan under“local needs policies”. If your localauthority doesn’t have a ruralexceptions policy in its local plan,ask them why and lobby for themto introduce it. Most rural localauthorities do have this policy inplace. The National Planning PolicyFramework (NPPF) also makesreference to exception sites and isused by local authorities indetermining planning applications.This also introducedNeighbourhood Plans, showinglocal priorities.


l Ensure you all have a broadunderstanding of the issues –you will have a localleadership role.

l Make affordable housing anagenda point at the nextcouncil meeting, to discussthe survey or invite theenabler to do a Q&A session.

l Your role could includeadvertising, distributingand/or providinginformation for the survey.

l If a project progresses, youwill be local spokespeoplehelping to keep consultationwith the wider communityopen, through events as wellas dealing with ongoingquestions, comments orconcerns.

HoW You CAN BEINvoLvED »

Enabler – offers key liaison betweenthe project partners, workingclosely with you at a local level. Itcould be a rural housing enabler oran officer from the housingassociation or local authority.

Housing needs survey – a localevidence gathering process toestablish how many people are inneed of affordable housing andwhether a project should progressto the next stage.

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How are the planningconditions enforced?

They are enforced through a legalagreement under Section 106(S106) of the Town and CountryPlanning Act 1990. A S106agreement is signed by the housingassociation and the local authorityand ensures that the homes arekept affordable for local people inthe community. It also defines whatthe specific local connection criteriaare. This type of S106 is not to beconfused with another deliverymethod mentioned later, where it isused to refer to a method ofsecuring planning gain on openmarket developments.

So, can the houses be builtnear the village centre?

Yes, although it is unlikely that ruralexception sites will be found in oraround the village centre. Any smallsites for development here,especially brownfield sites, are likelyto have been earmarked for openmarket development by the localauthority. This makes the land tooexpensive given its developmentpotential and is not likely to be afinancially viable choice for a newaffordable rural scheme. Ruralexception sites tend to be found onthe edge of the village where the

homes would feel like a naturalextension of the community.

How do you go about findinga suitable site?

It is useful to include a question inany housing needs survey askinglocal people to suggest places theythink new housing should go.Whether you have this informationor not, it is normal practice to ‘walk’the village with the enabler, localauthority planners and/or housingassociation to start to identifypossible development sites anddiscuss any immediate problems orbenefits. As the parish council, youcan often provide local informationabout who owns the differentpieces of land and the way theymight like to be approached aboutthe proposal.

The next step would be for theenabler and/or housing associationto talk to the planning departmentabout the potential sites and getsome informal advice on the sitesthat are most suitable in planningterms.

Who talks to the landowner?

This will always depend on whichsite is preferred and who thelandowner is. If it is a local

landowner, well known to theparish council, it may beappropriate for you to have a moreinformal conversation before theenabler organises a meeting. If it isanother landowner or large estate,the experience of the enablerand/or housing association maymake them better placed to putforward the proposal. The formaldiscussions will happen betweenthe association and the landownerwith whom the contract is signed.

Cross Subsidy

What is cross-subsidy andhow does it work?

Increasingly, affordable housingproviders are looking for innovativeways to fund homes and one of thefavoured routes to emerge fromnational planning reform is cross-subsidy. In essence this meansdeveloping both market andaffordable homes at the same time,using development surplusesgenerated from the market homesto subsidise affordable ones toensure that prices can bemaintained to an affordable level.

What are the benefits of this model?

If a cross-subsidy model can bedeveloped there is the opportunityto also provide some markethomes that can also meet localdemand from households withinthe community who would not beconsidered for affordable housing.For example, elderly householdswho want to sell their home anddownsize or young families whocannot find a smaller starter homefor sale in the village.

There are also some risksassociated with this type ofdevelopment, which is reliant onmarket values and developmentcosts being at sufficient levels.There is also a greater risk attachedto developing market homes andnot all affordable housing providerswill be willing or able to use thismodel. Others will prefer to workwith a third party like a privatedeveloper to handle the marketelement.

S.106/Quota Sites

Your local authority will havecarried out an exercise to identifypieces of land suitable for future

development, i.e. open marketdevelopment.

If open market houses are to bebuilt in your area, it is likely thatsome affordable homes will berequired as part of thedevelopment, known as a “quotasite”. Local authorities haveguidelines in place to dictate thatschemes of a certain size need toinclude a proportion of affordablehousing. The number of homesthat triggers this “quota” variesfrom area to area, so you shouldcheck what the local policy is withyour local authority.

Can quota sites give localpeople priority?

In some cases a legal agreementcan be drawn up to make sure thatthe affordable housing on the siteis reserved for local people first.This will depend on negotiationsbetween the developer and thelocal authority and what can beagreed. If the parish council wantsto ensure that the affordablehomes on this site are reserved for

local people it is important that youwork with the local authority,perhaps involving your local wardmember to help influence andlobby for such an agreement.

Community LandTrusts

What is a CommunityLand Trust?

A growing number of communitiesare forming Community LandTrusts (CLT), which are non-profit,community-based organisationsrun by volunteers that develophousing, community facilities orother assets that meet the needsof the community. These areowned and controlled by thecommunity and are made availableat permanently affordable levels.

There are a number of benefits tosetting up and running a CLT.Usually, the stimulus is a desire tocreate affordable homes that areavailable to local people who


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cannot afford open markethousing. However, often localpeople might take on anotherchallenge facing their community,such as setting up a communityshop, or purchasing the local pubwhen it is about to close.

CLTs usually retain an equity sharein each property, providing housingthat is permanently affordable,benefitting future generations ofresidents. CLTs are also providingopportunities for self-builders,mutual homes ownership and co-housing schemes.

What influence does the localcommunity have?

CLTs are locally driven, controlledand democratically accountable.They have a membership that isopen to all who live or work in thedefined community, includingoccupiers of the properties that theCLT owns. The members elect avoluntary board to run the CLT ontheir behalf on a day to day basis.Usually, the board comprises abalanced mix of local residents.

Can they access funding?

A number of successful CLTschemes have been developedacross the country, with many morenow on site.

To help start projects CLTs canaccess funding from the HCA, localauthorities and some charitableorganisations. To build outschemes some CLTs get grantdirectly from the HCA or through apartner housing association.

Some of the most successful CLTshave benefited from partneringwith a not-for-profit housingassociation to develop and managetheir homes, which helps managethis particularly risky and complexprocess. The legal arrangementsbetween the parties can be variedaccording to local circumstances,

but the CLT will always remain thelead partner.

Where can I find out more?

More information and support isavailable from The National CLTNetwork, which provides guidance,

best practice, toolkits, training andlearning opportunities at regionaland national events. There are alsoa number of regional umbrellagroups who can provide regionalsupport and advice. They also holda list of housing associationsinterested in working with CLTs.


How many andwhat type will bebuilt?

The evidence of local housing needwill help to decide how manyhomes to build. The aim is to makesure that the number of homesprovided is sustainable, i.e. by notbuilding too few and by notbuilding too many. It is importantthat there will be recurring demandfor the homes.

The type of homes will reflect thehouseholds who are in need ofaffordable housing. On most ruraldevelopments, there is a need forboth homes for rent and foraffordable home ownership. Theneed for two and three bedroomhomes is particularly prevalent butbungalows, flats and larger homeshave all been provided in smallrural communities when the needis evident.

How affordable will the rentbe and for how long?

Housing association rents areregulated and will always beaffordable and below open marketvalue. If occupants are unable topay the rent in full, they may beentitled to housing benefits to helpthem.

All rented homes will be madeavailable up to a maximum 80% ofmarket rent, and take account ofLocal Housing Allowance levels –the limit at which Housing Benefit ispayable in the private sector.

What happens if a housingassociation goes bust?

Housing associations are stable,highly regulated organisations and,to date, no registered housingassociation has been allowed tofail. In the unlikely event that an

association did fail, the regulatorwould use its powers to transferthe homes to another association.The rents would continue to becontrolled at an affordable rate andthe S106 agreement in place willensure they remain as a priority forlocal people.

How do you prevent tenantsexercising the right to buy onexception sites?

There is no longer the right to buyon new houses built by housingassociations. There is a modifiedform of the right to buy called ‘rightto acquire’ but this does not applyto homes built in ‘protected’ ruralareas. These are typicallysettlements with populations below3,000, although some largersettlements are included.

What is affordable homeownership?

There are a number of affordablehome ownership opportunities butfor new developments, Help to BuyShared Ownership is the official

name for a part-buy, part-rentoption - also known as sharedownership. Shared ownership is anopportunity for those on modestincomes to get on the propertyladder and is generally taken up byyounger households who may besocial tenants, first time buyers orkey workers.

The majority of shared ownershiphomes are sold under a long lease.The purchaser will buy a share ofthe equity in the property and thehousing association retains theremaining share. Most housingassociations charge an affordablerent on the unsold share. Theoccupier has rights andresponsibilities as if they own theproperty fully and is responsible forall repairs and maintenance.

On first sale, the share offered forpurchase can be between 25% and75% of the open market value andwill depend on the individualproject. The shared owner can thenbuy further portions of the equityin their home as and when they canafford to do so – this is calledstaircasing. In protected rural areas,occupiers can only purchaseadditional shares up to 80% so thehome remains available for futureshared ownership purchasers.

Housing associations have staff tohelp applicants through the buyingprocess. They can put applicants intouch with independent financialadvisors for advice and help withobtaining a mortgage. Someassociations can offer a panel ofsolicitors who are familiar withshared ownership leases and sales.

When a future resident wishes tomove, they will sell the samepercentage share that they own.The value of their share can go upor down and is subject to the samemarket conditions as an openmarket property. The housingassociation will usually guide thesales process, instructing an

Rural exception site – a piece of landthat will only receive planningpermission for affordable localneeds housing. It is an “exception”to the development sites detailed inthe local plan.

Quota site – an open marketdevelopment where a proportion ofaffordable housing must beprovided if the total number ofhomes exceeds a set number. Thesehomes could be subject to localconnection criteria.

Greenfield site – land that has notbeen developed before.

Green Belt – land governed by apolicy used in planning to retainareas of undeveloped, wild oragricultural land surrounding orneighbouring urban areas. Thispolicy does not apply to allagricultural or undeveloped land.

Brownfield site – a piece of land thathas been developed before, e.g.paved parking area or site of ademolished building.

Conservation Area – an area that isawarded protected status becauseof its special “architectural orhistoric” interest which may refer tobuildings or public and privatespaces.

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty(AONB) – a designated andprotected area of countryside that isconsidered to have significantlandscape value.

Cross-subsidy - Where homes arebuilt both for private sale and for ahousing association, the privatehomes generating a surplus to helppay for the affordable homes.

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independent surveyor to carry outthe valuation (paid for by the seller)and then market the propertylocally to identify a new local buyer.

You might also wish to get involvedin this local marketing bymentioning the home for sale inthe village newsletter or displayingposters in prominent areas like thenotice board, village shop,community hall or pub. Theimportant thing to remember isthat the housing association jointlyowns the home and will need toapprove the new buyer and makesure that they meet the localoccupancy requirements detailedin the S106 agreement and thelease.

Who values the home and onwhat basis?

The property is valued as if it is onthe open market without anyrestrictions and is done so, eachtime, by an independent qualifiedsurveyor, not an estate agent.

Can the owners buy 100% ofthe equity?

Most rural shared ownershipproperties are sold using a leasethat restricts ownership to amaximum of 80%. However, thereare sometimes reasons why adifferent lease is used that givesthe option for purchasers tostaircase to 100% and when theproperty is resold, it is “bought-back” by the housing associationand offered to local people as ashared ownership home. In thisway, the property will always beaffordable and never sold on theopen market.

What if a local person doesn’tcome forward?

There will be a framework withinthe S106 agreement to allow theassociation to “cascade” theadvertisement and allocation of theproperty to particular areas,normally adjacent parishes. This willhave been agreed between the

parish council, local authority andhousing association. This is to makesure the opportunity is taken up bya household in the surroundingarea who is in housing need in theimmediate parish cannot be found.When the property is resold,priority would be for thoseapplicants from the immediateparish.


Design:why affordable doesn’tmean cheap

Who chooses the architect?

Once a site has been identified andthe landowner has agreed to makethe land available, the housingassociation will commission anarchitect to design thedevelopment. Often, it will be anarchitect with whom they haveworked before and whoappreciates the sensitivities aroundrural development. The housingassociation can normally provideexamples of their work and youshould be able to visit a completedscheme.

The architect will also be requiredto take into account any planningobligations laid down by the localauthority and any instructions orrecommendations set down in alocal/village design brief.

Will the ‘affordable’ factorcompromise the quality?

No. Generally speaking, newaffordable housing is produced to ahigher standard than private sectoropen market housing. Forexample, rooms are likely to bebigger as well as the space aroundthe property and provision isalways made for private parking.

Many housing associations havetheir own high design and buildstandards but all associations mustcomply with a range of standardsto ensure that the new homes areeligible for public funding.

New homes will meet a set ofminimum environmental criteriaand often, other best practicedomestic standards:

1. Typically housing associationsminimise the environmentalimpact that new homes have by

incorporating renewable energysources, ecological features andreducing water usage.

2. Housing associations are guidedby best practice and aim toprovide properties that aredesigned to make life as easy aspossible for as long as possible.The homes are designed to beadaptable for everyone, fromyoung families to older peopleand individuals with a temporaryor permanent physicalimpairment.

Can the Parish Councilinfluence the design?

Yes. Your local knowledge is auseful resource. The parish councilwill be consulted on the design andare welcome to make suggestionson the site layout, externalmaterials, landscaping and otherdesign features.

It is important to note thatstringent cost limits are applied tohousing schemes which use publicfunds. Associations must use theirexperience to make judgements onwhat is financially possible withinthe project requirements.

You can read more about thefunding process on page 19.

Does that mean designcomes second to cost?

No. A careful balance is sought.The houses must be pleasant tolook at and to live in. The successof any project is linked to how it fitsin with the existing localarchitecture. You will see fromsome of the case studies used inthis guide that design is crucial andshould allow for the developmentto become a natural extension ofthe village.

Affordable Housing Capital FundingGuide – contains the rules andprocedures with which housingassociations must comply in orderto receive public funds for newsocial housing

Code for Sustainable Homes – thesingle national standard to guidethe industry in the design andconstruction of sustainable homes.

Lifetime Homes – this standard is aset of 16 design criteria that providea model for building accessible andadaptable homes.

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l You can provide feedback onthe design and ensure localdesign features have beenconsidered.

l Help organise a consultationday so the community cansee and comment on theplans.


l Ensure that you can explainthese details about tenure tolocal residents who need tofeel confident about theaffordability and availabilityof the homes in the longterm.


Protected areas – definedsettlements, protected by statute,that are not affected by “right tobuy” or “right to acquire”legislation.

Cascade – the timeframe andprocess by which a property can beadvertised and allocated outside ofthe parish boundary to surroundingcommunities.

Leasehold – an ownership interest ina building for a given length of time.Housing associations usually offerleases in excess of 99 years.

Freehold – is outright ownership ofthe land and the building on thatland.

Staircasing – the process of buyingfurther shares of equity in aproperty.

Help to Buy Shared Ownership – theofficial name for affordable homeownership, also known as sharedownership.

Lease – document which details theleasehold arrangements andenforces the local occupancycriteria as set down in the S106agreement.

JARgoN BuSTER »

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Communityconsultation:involving local people

Community consultation is at theheart of developing new affordablerural homes. Local support ishugely beneficial and keeping yourcommunity informed of progress isthe best way to do this.

You will have already been involvedin promoting the need foraffordable housing at the start ofany project and explaining why andhow local housing needs have beenidentified. Once the proposeddevelopment has been designedand plans are available, it is time tohold a consultation event and invitecomments and feedback from thecommunity.

Consultation events are normallyattended by the enabler; thehousing association;representatives from the parishcouncil; the local authority andeven the architect.

Why is this meetingimportant?

This meeting can go a long way toallay fears and misconceptionsabout affordable housing. Localpeople will want to hear who thehouses are for and how they willremain available for local people aswell as be reassured that they willnot fall onto the open market. Themeeting will also show that thisproject is intended to benefit thecommunity and that their views arewelcome.

Often local concerns can beaccommodated within theproposals, so long as the housingassociation is aware of them. Localpeople can become champions ofthe project too.

What can we do aboutobjectors who continue tooppose the scheme?

Keep the channels ofcommunication open and beconsistent in the message youdeliver, which means it is importantto understand how a project willdevelop?? right from the beginning.This leaves less room formiscommunication and means youare entering into the process withall the information and can turn tofellow councillors for support.

If some members of thecommunity can’t be persuaded ofthe benefits to the community, tryand understand that they don’twant new homes on land, whichaccording to the current plans,probably wasn’t intended fordevelopment.

The partners in the project will beable to give you continued supportand help you answer questionsthat you don’t feel able to answer infull.

Funding: who pays for what?

How is a scheme funded?

In most cases, some public moneyis needed to subsidise affordablehousing schemes and housingassociations make applications tothe Homes and CommunitiesAgency for grant funding. Theseapplications are considered in thecontext of the area in which thehomes are being provided, so thata balanced view is taken on valuefor money.

There are limits on the fundsavailable and the total schemecosts of any project put forwardmust not be too high. This is whyacquiring land through theexception site policy for a lowerthan market price is essential tomake sure a development is viable.

Grant funding covers only a smallpart of the overall cost (currently inthe region of 10-20%) so housingassociations invest in new schemesby using their own reserves orsecuring private loans. Dependingon the needs of individualdevelopments, the local authoritycould also make a contribution.

Grant funding is not alwaysavailable. However, the NationalPlanning Policy Framework (NPPF)allows associations to include asmall number of open market salehomes on an exception site. Theprofits from these sales replace thegrant element and are put backinto the scheme to subsidise theaffordable homes.

Will it cost the parish councilanything?

No, your time and input is avaluable investment in the project.Sometimes parish councils havecontributed by making landavailable for development.

Planningapplication toplanningpermission

Preparing for the planningapplication is one of the most timeconsuming elements of theprocess. There are numerous, andoften lengthy, consultationsbetween all partners to make surethe evidence, design, cost andlocation of the development deliverthe right homes in the right place.

Is it difficult to get planningpermission on exceptionsites?

It should not be considered easy,but provided that there is a localpolicy and the proposed site canmeet all of the necessary and strictcriteria, then ‘exceptional’ planningpermission may be granted. Briefly:

l There must be a proven needfor affordable housing for localpeople

l The proposed homes mustmeet this identified need

l There must be a mechanism tokeep the homes at below openmarket prices and permanentlyavailable to local people

l The housing association mustbe prepared to enter into aSection 106 agreement

l The site and designs complywith all other planning policies

l The site is well related to thevillage or close to the villageboundary.

The rural exceptions policy is awidely accepted method ofdelivering homes in rural areas andhas been successful in helpingthousands of new homes to bebuilt across England.

Who submits the planningapplication?

The architect, on behalf of thehousing association.

How long does the decisionprocess take?

Typically between 8 and 13 weeksdepending on the size of theapplication. With rural exceptionsites, the decision is normally madeby the planning committee giventhe “exceptional” nature of planningconsent. In some cases, thedecision could be delegated to aplanning officer by the committee.

The planning committee meeting isa public one where people canspeak in favour of or in objection tothe scheme. As the parish council,you will always be consulted onplanning applications but you canalso make a significant contributionby speaking at the meeting anddemonstrating additional supportfor the scheme.

How else can the parishcouncil promote planningapplications?

In the interests of consultation andtransparency, it is appropriate to letthe community know that aplanning application has been

l Help to organise a meetingand publicise it locally.

l Ensure that people unable tomake the consultationmeetings are invited to givefeedback through thecouncil.


Consultation – meeting anddiscussing the project with localpeople on a regular basis as well asensuring that there is aninformation flow between theproject partner and the community.

JARgoN BuSTER »


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submitted, for example, in theparish newsletter. This gives localpeople the opportunity to write tothe planning department withcomments, in favour of or inobjection to the scheme.

What if the answer is no?

An appeal can be made. This is notnormally needed so long as all thepreparation has been done and allthe planning criteria have beenunderstood and met.

Building works

The time it takes to build adevelopment will vary but onaverage for a rural scheme it willtake around 12 months. There canbe delays due to unforeseen worksand of course, the weather.

Will the contractor be mindfulof residents?

Yes. It is in everyone’s bestinterests to establish a goodworking relationship with thecommunity during the constructionperiod.

Housing associations usuallyrequire their contractor to besigned up to the ConsiderateConstructors Scheme. This meansthat these companies makeassurances to be clean, safe,responsible and establish full andregular communication with siteneighbours. In some cases, the firmwill run a health and safetycampaign with the local school(s).

You are encouraged to speak to thehousing association with anyconcerns that local residents mighthave about the building works.They will also be able to let youknow about any road works or localdisruptions that local residentswould need advance notice of.

Allocating the homes: who decides?

The allocation process is one of themost important stages of theprocess. The likelihood is that notall those who need a new home willget one. You will be shown, or canask for, the housing association’sallocation criteria and procedures.

The allocations process may varyslightly depending on the housingassociation and local authoritypartners so it’s worth asking howthe process works early on to makesure you fully understand what isinvolved.

Candidates will need to qualifyunder the local connection criteriaset down in the S106 agreement.See page 6 for what is local? Thenthey will be assessed against theassociation’s allocation policy andprocedure.

Ultimately the responsibility fordeciding who should live in thehouses lies with the housingassociation, but the local authorityalso plays a pivotal role byproviding nominations for thehomes through the Choice BasedLettings (CBL) system. Due torecent legislation changes, mostlocal authorities have now reviewedwho qualifies to access theirhousing lists and how they allowpeople to apply for homes. Thishas had a bigger impact in ruralareas than most, as there are lesssmaller units available andhouseholds who typically apply forlocal needs homes are not alwaysconsidered to have the highesthousing need. It is important to beclear on the approach that yourown local authority takes from theoutset so that each party can setclear expectations about whoqualifies and how they can apply.

How is the decision made?

The allocation is made using apoints based system which will lookat the housing needs of the localpeople who apply. For sharedownership properties, they will alsoneed to have sufficient finances inorder to meet the commitment ofowning their own home and beable to secure a mortgage for theirshare of the property.

How do the applicants apply?

Rented properties will beadvertised by the local authority ontheir CBL system and applicantsneed to be registered on the localauthority housing list. This systemprovides regular information toregistered applicants on theavailable lettings in the area. Itinvites potential applicants to applyor “bid” for properties for whichthey qualify.

Those interested in sharedownership register with the localHelp to Buy Agent, usually ahousing association, who advertiseall the affordable home ownershipopportunities available within aparticular area. They may also beable to register directly with thedeveloping association.

Information about the applicationprocess will be conveyed at an earlystage in the project but needs to berepeated throughout.

Consultation in action:

It’s essential to make sure localpeople register so that they canapply for a property. After all, localpeople will have priority! If theyhave problems accessing housingwaiting lists, find out why and ifthey are happy for you to, offer totalk to the local authority on theirbehalf.

The housing association will workwith you to make sure that localpeople, including those who havealready replied to the originalsurvey, understand how to applyfor the homes. Some parishcouncils have used their villagewebsite or monthly newsletter as away of keeping everyone updatedabout progress and ensuring thateveryone understands theapplication process.

Who checks the localconnection?

Some housing associations willinvolve you in helping to check thelocal connection claims made byapplicants, but it is important thatthe actual allocation decisions aremade by a body outside of thevillage. In this way, the decisions are

l Reporting anything ofconcern to the housingassociation.

l Helping to advertise that theapplication process for thehomes is open when thehomes are nearingcompletion – if local peopledo not apply, they cannot beallocated the houses!


Considerate Constructor Scheme –initiative that encouragesconstructors to be considerate andgood neighbours as well as clean,respectful, safe, environmentallyconscious, responsible andaccountable.

JARgoN BuSTER »

l You might be asked to verifythe names and addresses ofapplicants and confirmwhether they have a localconnection.

l Make sure that people knowhow to apply and registertheir name with the localauthority.



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impartial, the confidentiality ofapplicant details is maintained andposition of the parish council isn’tcompromised.

The housing association will alwaysask for written evidence to supportan applicant’s claim. If they claim towork in the village, they will need asupporting letter from theiremployer or if they live in thevillage, examples of utility andcouncil tax bills.

What now? Managing the homes intothe future

The housing association managesall future vacancies at the schemeas well as addressing issues raisedby individual residents or thecommunity as a whole. If theCommunity Land Trust method isused, the trust may well have anongoing involvement in this as well.

What happens when there isa re-let or re-sale?

The resident will inform thehousing association of theirintention to move. The associationmay contact you to let you knowabout the vacancy and ask for yourhelp in publicising the opportunitylocally through posters or thevillage newsletter or similar. If youhear of a vacancy first, you don’thave to wait, get in touch and findout how you can help get the wordout to local people.

Local people need to make surethey are registered with the localauthority. Available rentalproperties will be advertised via theChoice Based Lettings system andlow cost ownership homes usuallyvia the Help to Buy Agent for thearea.

The authority or Help to Buy Agentwill pass a list of the nominatedhouseholds to the association. Theassociation will then allocate thehomes against strength of localconnection (using the criteria in theS106 planning agreement) andtheir housing need (as detailed inthe association’s policy andprocedure). Additionally, in the caseof shared ownership properties,the applicant’s financial situationwill be taken into consideration.The process will be the same as thefirst time the homes wereallocated.

It helps greatly if local people knowhow to express an interest inaffordable housing. If they needrented or shared ownershiphousing, always encourage peopleto register on the local authorityhousing list. If they would like ashared ownership home, be readyto give them details of the localHelp to Buy Agent. You could runan annual feature in yournewsletter or magazine.

What safeguards are there forthe Section 106 agreement?

If you believe that the terms of theSection 106 have not been adheredto, the first thing to do is get incontact with the housingassociation and request moreinformation. It can be that thatmisunderstanding or a lack ofcommunication can cause innocentmistakes. There are confidentialreasons why one applicant’shousing need will be prioritisedover another and these cannot berevealed, but the housingassociation is responsible forensuring that the local connectionof applicants is checked and thatthey meet the requirements of theS106 agreement.

If you do not receive a satisfactoryfirst response, you can use thehousing associations complaintsprocedure to request that thematter is looked into again. As alast resort, you can get in touchwith the planning authority andregister your concern.

However, disagreements canusually be avoided. It’s in your bestinterest to understand how theallocation process works beforestarting a project. The housingassociation should make theallocations policy available early onand explain the process.

Allocation – the process by whichapplicants are prioritised forhousing.

Choice Based Lettings – a systemwhere available properties to rentare advertised to all registeredapplicants who are invited to applyor “bid” for suitable homes.

Help to Buy Agent– an organisation,usually a housing association, whokeeps a register of those peoplelooking for shared ownership homesand advertises opportunities withina specific area.

JARgoN BuSTER »


Remember, new parish councillorsare elected and staff at housingassociations will change so it’simportant to keep a channel ofcommunication open and keeprecords of important documents.

What else does the housingassociation do?

Housing associations not onlyallocate the homes in the correctway but are committed to makingnew developments ‘sustainablecommunities’ and often investheavily in improving services andcommunity development. Thismeans that residents will have ahousing officer to contact aboutany financial or domestic issues.Residents have peace of mind thattheir accommodation is secure andthe rents will continue to beaffordable. Housing associationshave a range of policies andprocedures that will help peopleshould they experience, forexample, financial difficulty or adisagreement with their neighbour.

Residents, whether they rent orpurchase a share in a property, areencouraged to get involved, asmuch or as little as they like, toshape future services. They can getinvolved at any level of theorganisation, from being a memberof the board, setting up a residents’association for their area or givingfeedback on service via surveys orfocus groups.

Associations want to improve thecommunities and the homes theymanage and want to work withresidents to find out what theirpriorities are. Examples couldinclude improving car parkingarrangements or helping to secureplay equipment for communalspaces.

The housing association is alsoresponsible for ensuring that thedevelopment continues to provide

decent accommodation for thoseliving in the homes. It will beresponsible for the upkeep andmaintenance of the rented unitsand also work with shared ownersto also ensure that their homes aremaintained to a high standard.

Some developments may haveareas of communal planting andthe housing association will put acontract in place to maintain this.Make sure you know who thedevelopment’s dedicated housingofficer is so that you can makethem aware of any local issues.

l Ensure people are aware ofthe project and register theirinterest with the localauthority or Help to BuyAgent.

l Help display posters andadvertisements whenvacancies occur.

l Be the local eyes and earsand report any issues youthink the association shouldbe aware of.


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The result


Community Land Trust (CLT)

Case studies

Introducing community strategies

CASE STuDY »

Other Information: Youlgrave is one of the most popular villages in the Peak District,attracting holiday-makers and commuters to Sheffield and Manchester,resulting in high property prices and little chance for local young peopleto make their homes in the village.

This situation was recognised by a group of local people, working withPeak District Rural Housing Association and Derbyshire Dales DistrictCouncil, they formed a CLT. Planning permission was granted for ascheme in April 2011 but progress was scuppered by a ‘Village Green’application lodged by an objector to the scheme. This was dismissed byan inquiry but eighteen months was lost. In the meantime a neighbourhad claimed a small part of the site and this change necessitated a newplanning application for the whole site.

Planning permission for the revised scheme was granted in July 2013. Thecost of the scheme was now above that anticipated. PDRHA resolved toput more of their resources into the scheme and extra grant wasforthcoming form Derbyshire Dales. Work finally started on site in March2014 and the houses completed early in 2015.

KEY DATA

Location:Youlgrave, Derbyshire

No of Properties:4 three-bedroom houses2 two-bedroom houses and 2 two-bedroom bungalows

Overall Cost:The total cost for the affordablehomes was £1 million

Funding:The development was funded byHCA Community-led funding,Derbyshire Dales District Counciland the housing association

Housing Association:Peak District Rural HousingAssociation

Local Partners:Youlgrave Community Land Trustand Local Authority

2524


Rural Exception Site

CASE STuDY »

Other Information: For Kate Hodson and Dan Wright, the prospect of starting a family in thevillage where they grew up seemed like an impossible dream. “We lookedat house prices and the mortgages available to us and quickly realisedthat we would have to move out of Gnosall,” said 28-year-old Kate. “Wewanted a three bedroom property where we could start a family, butthere was no way we could afford that in Gnosall. That meant movingaway from our families. The closest property we could consider wasaround 30 minutes away. There were just not enough homes at the priceswe could afford.”

Stafford & Rural Homes stepped in working with Housing Plus, ThomasVale, Gnosall Parish Council and the local community. Clear local housingneed was identified which enabled a rural exception site to be identified.Planning permission for 13 new shared ownership and 17 homes foraffordable rent was obtained and the homes built. Dan and Kate wereamongst the first families to move into one of the new shared ownershipproperties, and arrived in their dream three bedroom home just in timeto welcome their new baby Ava.

Cross Subsidy Site

CASE STuDY »

Other Information: In 2011, Warwickshire Rural Housing Association, working with Stratford-on-Avon District Council, developed 13 homes for social rent in the villageof Harbury. The scheme attracted significant public grant. Coupled withthe construction of 9 local market homes for sale, this enabled siteinfrastructure to be put in place to accommodate potential furtherdevelopment. The homes – a mixture of two, three and four-bedroomhouses and bungalows – are all built to level three of the Government’sCode for Sustainable Homes, with energy efficient air source heating andsustainable drainage systems. These homes were built under theCouncil’s “Local Choice” initiative, which allows members of thecommunity to promote developments that meet the local housing needsthey have identified. Following completion of the scheme in 2012 afurther housing needs study was completed demonstrating clear need foradditional affordable homes.

A second phase of the Harbury scheme started in 2013 with theconstruction of 17 homes for sale. These homes have provided crosssubsidy funds to enable the construction of 10 affordable rent housesand bungalows. The low land value and high house values (achieved fromthe local market homes) combined with the significant infrastructureinvestment on the first development phase has resulted in a nil grantfunded scheme on 100% Social rents.

KEY DATA

Location:Gnosall, Staffordshire

No of Properties:30 two to four bedroom homes

Overall Cost:The total cost for the affordablehomes was £3.3 million

Funding:The development was funded byHCA grant and the HousingAssociation

Housing Association:Stafford and Rural HousingAssociation

Local Partners:The Parish Council, StaffordBorough Council and ThomasVale Construction

KEY DATA

Location:Harbury, Warwickshire

No of Properties:17 local market homes and 10affordable homes (6 two-bedroom houses, 2 three-bedroom houses and 2two-bedroom bungalows

Overall Cost:The total cost for the affordablehomes in Phase 1 was £1.2million and for Phase 2 the costto the Housing Association was£650,000

Funding:Phase 1 was funded by HCAgrant and the HousingAssociation. Phase 2 was whollyfunded by the local markethousing on the site.

Housing Association:Warwickshire Rural HousingAssociation

Local Partners:The Parish Council, thedeveloper and the local authority


26 27

Section 106 Site

CASE STuDY »

Other Information: The development was a community driven partnership incorporating aspecialist rural housing association and private developer, with fouraffordable homes being secured as part of the planning process that havebeen made available to local people, this arrangement secured inperpetuity. The Parish Council spent a number of years trying to find theright site and ensuring that village concerns were taken into accountbefore building started. In addition the village now own the freehold ofthe land on which the community centre, housing and playing fields sitensuring a long-term sustainable future for that part of the village.

KEY DATA

Location:Manuden, Essex

No of Properties:10 homes for market sale fourhomes for affordable rent (3 x 2bed houses and 1 x 3 bedhouse)

Overall Cost:The total cost for the affordablehomes was £488,000

Funding:The development was fundedentirely by the housingassociation

Housing Association:English Rural HousingAssociation

Local Partners:The Parish Council, RuralHousing Enabler and LocalAuthority

Section 106 Site

CASE STuDY »

Other Information: Dot and Stan are tenants of one of four bungalows acquired at the end of2013 by Eden Housing Association from a local contractor under a section106 agreement.

The bungalows are situated in Low Hesket, a small village in the rural Edendistrict about 10 miles north of the nearest market town of Penrith.Moving into their new home allowed the couple to release a 3 bed familyhouse that was becoming increasingly difficult to manage and stay withinthe local community.

Working in collaboration with the local authority, the contractor,landowner and the community enabled much needed affordable newbungalows to be built. Dot and Stan’s ex family house in now occupied bya young family thus also helping to make better use of the existinghousing in the area.

KEY DATA

Location:Low Hesket, Cumbria

No of Properties:4 bungalows

Overall Cost:The total cost for the affordablehomes was £437,652

Funding:The development was funded bythe housing association and HCA

Housing Association:Eden Housing Association

Local Partners:McKnight Builders, the ParishCouncil, Eden District Counciland Mitre Housing Association


28 29

Community Land Trust

CASE STuDY »

Other Information: This development was built in partnership with Upper Culm CLT. Localdeveloper, Andy Lehner of West of England Developments (WoED),offered the Hemyock site to the CLT for housing back in 2012. The UpperCulm CLT was a driving force behind this scheme, having identified astrong housing need and building its own database to record this.

This scheme offers a variety of properties, including nine for affordablerent and three for shared ownership, in order to cater for a range ofdifferent needs. The homes have been allocated to a mix of people, fromsingle-parent families and other young families, to those preparing forretirement. The homes meet the Homes and Communities Agency Designand Quality Standards and are also eco-friendly, achieving the Code forSustainable Homes level 4.

KEY DATA

Location:Hemyock, Devon

No of properties:12

Overall cost:The total cost for the affordablehomes was £1.6million

Funding:The development was funded bythe HCA and Hastoe

Local partners:The contractor, the CommunityLand Trust, the Parish Counciland Local Authority

Housing association: Hastoe


30 31

Cross Subsidy Site

CASE STuDY »

Other Information: Burnham Overy Staithe is a development of six properties set within astunning rural location, overlooking the picturesque harbour and saltings.Three of the affordable homes have two bedrooms and are built toPassivhaus standard. The remaining two houses are built to Code forSustainable Homes level 5, one of which has two bedrooms and the otherhas three bedrooms. The open market house is built to Code forSustainable Homes level 4 standard and has four bedrooms.

The Passivhaus homes not only perform to exceptional standards of lowenergy and comfort, they do so through an entirely passive approach thatsits comfortably within this rural environment. These low carbon homeshave very low running costs which is a huge benefit to residents in a worldof ever-increasing energy prices. Using Passivhaus techniques reducescarbon emissions and fuel bills to around 10% of the average UK dwelling.

KEY DATA

Location:Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk

No of properties:Five affordable homes for rentand one open market sale

Overall cost:The total cost for the affordablehomes was £880,000

Funding:The development was funded bythe sale of the open markethouse, the local authority, theHCA and Hastoe

Housing association: Hastoe

Local partners:The contractor, the ParishCouncil and Local Authority

With thanks also to thefinancial contributionmade in memory of

John Hearth CBE

The aim

Some housing associations developcommunity strategies, inconjunction with residents, toprovide a clear set of priorities anda shared purpose in developing thecommunity. The strategy will helpto set local standards shaped byresidents’ needs and an action planwill be drawn up to make sure localpriorities are addressed.

The strategy will also enable otherorganisations at a local level todevelop their services in responseto local priorities. All of the work isdone in line with the regulatoryframework on service standardsdeveloped by the HCA.

The purpose

A strong and cohesive communityis one where residents take anactive part, respect one another,and contribute to a safer, cleanerand greener environment.Community development aims toempower residents to takecollective action on issues thatmatter to them, build confidenceand improve skills to shape theirown futures.

To do this, associations prioritiseengagement with residents, listento their concerns and ensure thatservices meet their needs. Gettingideas from residents will also helpgalvanise local projects andpartnerships and housingassociations can then work withother organisations to make thishappen.

Local community strategies play anintegral role in fulfilling theregulatory framework requirementfor local priorities to becomeagreed local standards.

Associations are committed toinvolving residents in shaping localdelivery and taking into account theneeds of all.

Developing the strategy

Before an action plan is drawn up,the following information is lookedat with a particular focus on thediversity of community needs andwhere resources should betargeted to maximise impact:

l Community profile

l Residents’ profile

l Diversity information

l Services currently provided andperformance; looking at thefuture quality of the homes aswell as management

l Resident involvement

l Regulatory framework standards– including tenant involvementand empowerment, home, andneighbourhood and community.

In depth investigations will also becarried out in consultation with thefollowing:

l Residents; through surveys,meetings, visits or focus groups

l Local organisations; the parishcouncil and local authority, thepolice, charities and otherhousing associations

l The association will also identifypublished research that sets outpriorities for the community (e.g.parish plans) and joint workinginitiatives. This helps theassociation identifyopportunities for working inpartnership to support thewider community.

The priorities identified from thislocal partnership work forms thebasis of an action plan which clearlysets out the future for serviceprovision and defines how regularperformance reports will feedbackactions and progress to thecommunity.

Community strategies are anintegral part of the management ofany affordable housing and willsupport residents as well as localpeople, inside and outside of newhomes, to ensure a sustainablefuture.

32 33


Produced inpartnership betweenthe Rural HousingAlliance and the RuralServices Network

Distributed withthe support of theNational Associationof Local Councils

Introducing community strategies

This publication has been funded by

Special thanks to the project team from Hastoe HousingAssociation, English Rural Housing Association and Rural

Services Network who produced this publication.

34 35


Your notes

Aster Group

bpha

Bromford Homes

Chorley Community Housing

Cirencester Housing

Cornwall Rural HousingAssociation

Cottsway Housing Association

DCH

Eden Housing Association

English Rural HousingAssociation

Falcon Rural Housing

Five Villages Home Association

Freebridge Community Housing

Green Square Group

Hastoe Housing Association

Housing Plus

Howard Cottage HousingAssociation

Hyde Group

Lincolnshire Rural HousingAssociation

Longhurst Group

Lune Valley Rural HousingAssociation

Midlands Rural Housing

Mountgreen

National Housing Federation

New Forest Villages HousingAssociation

North Devon Homes

Peaks & Plains Housing Trust

Regenda Group

Shropshire Housing Group

Shropshire Rural Housing

South Devon Rural HousingAssociation

Sovereign Housing Association

Stafford & Rural Homes

Vectis Housing Association

West Devon Homes

Wiltshire Rural HousingAssociation

WM Housing Group

About the Rural Housing AllianceThe Rural Housing Alliance is a dynamic group of affordable rural housing providers pledged to:

✓ Work closely with the local community and Parish Council to find the right site

✓ Always give qualifying local people in housing need first priority for every home

✓ Ensure that affordable homes always remain affordable

✓ Build sensitively designed, high quality homes to high environmental standards

✓ Provide good quality and locally sensitive management services to our residents

✓ Always respond positively to the local community.

The Rural Services Network seeks to provide a voice for rural communitiesby representing rural services, networking between rural serviceorganisations and establishing and broadcasting best practice in ruralservice provision. RSN and the Rural Housing Alliance work in partnershipto provide national advocacy for affordable rural housing, seeking toachieve the shared objectives of promoting the development and goodmanagement of affordable rural homes.

www.rsnonline.org.uk

Rural Housing Alliance Members

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