Exempt Rural Landowners From CGT

The extension of right-to-buy to housing association tenants has served to discourage rural landowners from making sites available for new affordable homes, according to country business lobby CLA. The organisation, which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses, has told a cross-party group of MPs that landowners have the potential to inject life into rural areas by making land available to house young families, local workers and older people seeking to downsize or retire. The CLA is calling for the Government to encourage landowners to release land at a discount for affordable housing by exempting the value of land sold for affordable homes from Capital Gains Tax. Read more on Housing Excellence.

Knock Down Barriers To Build More Affordable Rural Homes

The CLA which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses told a cross-party group of MPs that landowners have the potential to inject life into rural areas by making land available to house young families, local workers and older people seeking to downsize or retire. But the organisation warned that government policies such as extending the Right to Buy to housing association tenants discouraged landowners from making sites available because the homes would become unaffordable in the future. The CLA is calling for the government to encourage landowners to release land at a discount for affordable housing by exempting the value of land sold for affordable homes from Capital Gains Tax. Read more on 24housing.

Campaigners Fear Extension Of Right-To-Buy Scheme Will Hit Rural Areas

Campaigners want rural areas to be exempt from plans to extend right-to-buy to social housing. Affordable homes would not be replaced and could vanish from the countryside, pricing even more local people out, groups warned. Organisations including the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), the County Land and Business Association (CLA) and the National Parks Association have expressed concerns about the proposal. The policy looks set to be implemented on a voluntary basis by housing associations under a proposal put forward by the National Housing Federation. The plan would mean that there would be a presumption in favour of sale in most circumstances but housing associations would retain some discretion. The group warned landowners would be reluctant to offer land for social housing if there are no guarantees it will remain affordable and not be sold on within a few years. Read more on the Daily Mirror website.

Rural Landowners Call For Right to Buy Exemption

Rural settlements of under 3,000 population must be exempt from proposals to extend Right to Buy to Housing Association tenants if the rural housing crisis is to be resolved. This was the message expressed by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) in its response to the Parliamentary consultation on the future of Housing Associations. CLA Chief Surveyor Andrew Shirley said: “The housing situation in rural areas is already critical. Extending Right to Buy to Housing Association tenants in rural areas will only exacerbate what is already a debilitating issue for rural communities by reducing the small number of affordable properties already available whilst deterring more land coming forward for new rural housing schemes. Read more on the CLA website.