Rural Exception sites
Planning permission for a Rural Exception Site (RES) is a special exception to normal rules, allowing small-scale affordable housing on land outside village boundaries, otherwise unsuitable for development, to meet proven local housing needs for people with strong community ties, secured by legal agreements (Section 106) to keep them affordable forever. It addresses unmet needs in rural areas, often including a mix of affordable and sometimes a few market homes to make the project viable, all while respecting the local context, design, and environment, as guided by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
Key Aspects of RES Planning Permission
Policy Exception: It's an exception to standard planning policies that usually restrict development on the edge of settlements, allowing small developments to deliver specific public benefits (affordable housing).
Local Need: There must be a proven, unmet need for affordable housing within the local community, demonstrated through surveys and local plan assessments.
Local Connection: Homes are prioritised for people with a strong, established link to the parish (e.g., living, working, or family ties).
Legal Agreements (Section 106): A legal agreement ensures homes remain affordable in perpetuity (forever) and are allocated according to local criteria, preventing them from becoming open market properties.
Site Criteria: Sites must be suitable (e.g., good design, safe access, low flood risk) and typically small, on the edge of existing settlements.
Market Homes (Optional): A small number of open market homes (often under 50%) might be allowed to cross-subsidise the affordable homes, but this is at the local authority's discretion.
Alignment with NPPF: The proposed development must still meet high standards for design, scale, and impact, even though it's an exception site, adhering to national planning guidance.
In essence, it's a mechanism to unlock land for genuinely affordable housing, ensuring it serves local needs in perpetuity, by making an exception to development limits for a defined public good.
For further information and advice, please get in touch or book an initial free consultation.