240 lines
6.5 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
240 lines
6.5 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
earth
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environment
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5049924
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-----
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# Affordable homes to be built on greenbelt in countryside
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## Thousands of homes could be built on greenfield sites around the
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countryside, including in national parks, after the Government announced new
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plans to ease the rural housing crisis.
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By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent 6:13PM GMT 25 Mar 2009
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[Comments][1]
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The shortage of affordable homes in beautiful areas is causing anger among
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local communities, with second homes coming under attack.
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In a report on housing in rural communities, Liberal Democrat MP Matthew
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Taylor warned dozens of picturesque villages are in danger of dying out
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because of the problem.
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However the Government response published yesterday stopped short of
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restricting the growth of second homes and holiday lets in rural areas.
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Instead Margaret Beckett, the housing minister, announced a range of measures
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to encourage local authorities to build more affordable homes. This includes
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making more "exception" sites on greenbelt or other restricted land available
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for affordable homes.
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Councils in market towns will also be encouraged to develop sustainable new
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neighbourhoods rather than building "soulless" housing estates on the
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outskirts of town, with a £1 million competition to promote best practice.
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## Related Articles
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* [Andrew Stunell: farm buildings should be used for residential homes][2]
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18 Oct 2010
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And planning policy will be "refreshed" to ensure that the "distinct needs" of
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rural businesses are recognised when it comes to developing suitable new
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sites.
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Mrs Beckett said that the measures were essential to tackle the "unsustainable
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pressures" which were jeopardising the future of many rural communities.
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"All too often the high cost of homes and low wages are pricing young families
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out of their communities, with the average rural home costing up to 10 times
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the average salary in some rural areas," she said.
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"These subtle but important changes are the key to getting the balance right
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between protection and development in the countryside.
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"This will give local communities the flexibility they need to take the right
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decisions on the individual issues they face."
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However Kate Gordon, senior planner for the Campaign to Protect Rural England,
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warned thousands of home could be built on greenfield sites, including in
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national parks, if local authorities take advantage of exception sites.
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Instead she said councils should be rebuilding derelict buildings and
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developing brownfield sites.
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"Exceptions sites can lead to development in the wrong place. Before rushing
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to build on green fields, priority should go to bringing back into use empty
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homes and redeveloping sites within existing settlements," she said.
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Mr Taylor broadly welcomed the Government's response but warned that ministers
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would have to return to his idea to restrict the growth of second homes and
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holiday lets in national parks.
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"In some coastal areas, and the national parks in particular, this threatens
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the sustainability of vital services to the community including shops, schools
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and public transport," he said.
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"With this option rejected, the alternatives may be either building new
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affordable homes, which may not always be appropriate or the loss of essential
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community facilities as they become unviable.
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"I believe a future government will need to revisit this decision."
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/5049924/Affordable-homes-to-be-
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built-on-greenbelt-in-countryside.html
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Telegraph
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## [Environment][8]
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* ### [News »][9]
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* ### [UK News »][10]
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* ### [Earth News »][11]
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* ### [Countryside »][12]
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In earth
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[![BP oil spill: 30 pictures of the Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico disaster
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one year ago][13] ][14]
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ski slope][15] ][16]
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[![Malaysia destroying its forests three times faster than all Asia combined
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][17] ][18]
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[![An adult male fossa (Crytoprocta ferox) prowls on the deciduous forest
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floor of the Kirindy Forest, western Madagascar][19] ][20]
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house where she has set up home. Christian Stepien took thise hilarious
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picture in his mother's backyard in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada][21] ][22]
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### [Funny and odd animals][22]
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Share:
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* [ ][3]
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* [Tweet][7]
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* Advertisement
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![][23]
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telegraphuk
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Please enable JavaScript to view the [comments powered by Disqus.][24] [blog
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comments powered by Disqus][25]
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