Object

Representation ID: 7687

Received: 23/09/2009

Respondent: Ray Bullen

If young people of rural families as opposed to dormitory, cannot afford to buy in village then, housing benefit system should allow direct support to buy/rent market properties. Housing association houses generally have to be higher standard and so cost more. If HA's bought houses in the recession, keeping occupant in the home, it would help rebuild confidence.
Policy should be to encourage HA's to buy normal houses. Where HA's have entered into such arrangements it would be reasonable to allow the market to build replacement market houses if local need exists and acceptable sites found.
"Local needs" = those already living within parish or have dependents living in parish. The "local need" must be determined by the PC through Parish Plan.