New houses in villages should only be infill or conversion of brown filed sites. The objective for villages should not involve use of any existing agricultural land as this will be required for food production. If used it will be lost for ever. Neighbouring fields should only be used as allotments to help people supplement their own food supply. Positives are: self-fulfilling, good exercise, healthy food with a big long term payback for the community.
All brown field sites should be converted into suitable housing. Empty house/flat owners should be given incentives to provide as additional housing particularly unused town centre properties (over shops etc). Advantage here is clear as employment is mostly in the towns.