Landowners willing to take loss for community housing

Nearly half of all landowners would sell their property at below market value if they felt it was for the good of the community.

According to research from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics), some 40 per cent of clients - farmers and landowners - would put forward land for affordable rural housing.

They would also be more likely to sell if the buyer is a housing association or community trust.

However, Rics clients were least likely to sell to a local authority and many would ignore encouragement to sell from local government.

"Many landowners are willing to sell land for reduced prices to build affordable housing but want reassurance that it is the local community that will benefit," said Rics spokesperson, James Rowlands.

"Guarantees must be put in place by government to ensure that the generosity of landowners benefits young people, farm workers and other groups who are struggling to afford to live in rural areas close to work, friends and family.

"Restrictions must be put in place through the planning system to keep affordable homes for these groups, rather than allowing them to simply be sold through the general housing market."

However, the motivation is not purely altruistic.

Many landowners would require the resultant housing stock be made available for family members, staff, those employed in agriculture and those living in adjoining parishes.

The problem of a lack of rural affordable housing is particularly acute in the south-west, finds Rics.

In response Rics believe a planning restriction requiring homes built on land provided at below market value should be introduced, requiring these houses to be made available only to members of the local community.

These houses should also not be made available for sale in the future as general market housing.

A survey released yesterday also pointed to an acute affordable housing shortage in rural Wales.

Chris O'Toole