Proposals Unveiled For Starter Homes on Rural Exception Sites

Relaxed planning rules covering the construction of low cost ‘starter homes’ for local residents could be extended to rural towns and villages in England as part of plans to boost the rural economy which also include moves to make neighbourhood planning more straightforward. Last week the  Treasury and DEFRA unveiled a package of proposals aimed at boosting rural productivity. A key element would involve amending planning rules to allow ‘starter homes’ to be built on Rural Exception Sites for the first time. According to the policy paper, the government intends to make it easier for local areas to establish their own neighbourhood plans. They could then use these to allocate land for new homes, including starter homes on rural exception sites. Read more on the Planning Portal website.