Victoria House
Victoria Street
Taunton
Somerset
TA1 3JZ

Tel. 01823 331222
Fax. 01823 323652

Email us at
info@somersetrcc.org.uk

We are a Registered Charity
No. 1069260 and a
Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England & Wales
No. 3541219

____________________

Working towards affordable housing for local people in rural Somerset.

AIMS OF THE RURAL HOUSING ENABLER PROJECT

This project aims to help deliver affordable housing across the rural parishes within Mendip, Sedgemoor, South Somerset and Taunton Deane so that affordable housing provision can be targeted to the areas of greatest need.

The district authorities, various housing associations, DEFRA and GOSW are all working with the Rural Housing Enabler Team in order to promote and facilitate the development of affordable rural housing.

WHAT IS A RURAL HOUSING ENABLER?

Karl Hine and Felix Marsh are the current Rural Housing Enablers for Somerset. Since the project began in 2002 many housing needs surveys have been completed and the Rural Housing Enablers have helped to deliver over 120 units of affordable housing with many more in the development pipe-line for 2008. The range of funding supporting these posts means that the Rural Housing Enablers are able to act as 'honest brokers' between all parties in the process for developing affordable housing. At present they are assisting with over 40 individual parish projects.

Their responsibilities include:

	Raising awareness of the project and of issues surrounding affordable housing with local communities.
	Working with local communities and Parish Councils to assess local housing needs through assisting with a Housing Needs Survey and collating the results.
	Working with landowners and Parish Councils to identify potential sites for development.
	Liaising with relevant organisations including Local Housing and Planning Authorities and Housing Associations in order to ensure development is targeted to the areas of greatest need.
	Increasing awareness of problems surrounding rural housing and influencing future policy.

STEPPING STONES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING

	Meet with the Parish Council
	Assess the Housing need
	Find a potential site for development
	Obtain District/Borough Council support for chosen site
	Negotiate with landowner - secure agreement
	Involve Housing Association
	Secure Funding
	Obtain Planning Permission
	Build homes
	Allocate residents

Above all this is a flexible process in which the local community & Parish Council have a central role.

The Rural Housing Enablers work in Partnership with:

Defra - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

& their best level partners & their preferred partners

If you would like more information about Rural Housing, please contact Karl Hine or Felix Marsh at the Community Council on 01823 331222 or at info@somersetrcc.org.uk .

Rural Housing on Exmoor

West Somerset and the Exmoor National Park have their own Rural Housing Enabler, Colin Savage. For assistance with issues surrounding rural housing in these areas, please contact Colin by telephone (01398 322249), by email CBSavage@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk or by writing to:

Colin Savage
Rural Housing Enabler,
Exmoor House,
Dulverton,
Somerset,
TA22 9HL

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Page last updated: 16/06/08

The Village Halls Directory . Subscribing hall committees have got a free entry in the directory. To view the directory click here. Your Village Hall can also have a dedicated web page: advertise your facilities, give contact information, or even display pictures. For details of costs and further information contact us at info@somersetrcc.org.uk

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