Housing Development in the Rural Areas

5.18 New build, conversion and redevelopment housing schemes will be permitted within Housing Settlement Boundaries, subject to satisfying other relevant policies in the Plan.

5.19 Outside the Housing Settlement Boundaries, including those smaller rural settlements that do not have settlement boundaries, there is stricter control. Whilst Policy RU4 above sets out the criteria for when a residential reuse of a rural building might be permissible, Policy RU6 sets out the circumstances when new build housing or replacement housing might be permissible in the rural areas outside Housing Settlement Boundaries.

5.20 The borough is predominantly rural and, in certain circumstances, housing for key agricultural workers may be acceptable in the countryside. In exceptional cases, such workers will be permitted to have homes in the countryside if they are located on the holding and the application meets the tests set out in PPS7. The replacement of an existing home in the countryside may be acceptable provided that the proposal would not have a materially greater impact on the countryside.

5.21 The extension or alteration of an existing home in the countryside may be acceptable providing it involves only modest change in the size and appearance of the building and does not increase the number of homes. As a general guide, an extension or enlargement of more than 50% of the original home is unlikely to be acceptable because impact on both the existing home and its surroundings is likely to be considerable and the home may be out of scale with its plot.

POLICY RU6: HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THE RURAL AREAS

Housing Settlement Boundaries for the villages listed in Appendix A are defined on the Proposals Map. Planning permission for new residential development, residential conversion schemes, residential redevelopment and replacement of existing dwellings with a new dwelling will be permitted within Housing Settlement Boundaries where it is not contrary to other policies in the Plan.

In addition proposals for residential annexes will be permitted only where:

• i) the design and siting of the annexe is such that it is capable of being reasonably integrated into the use of the original dwelling once its need has ceased;
  ii) the size of annexe is the minimum necessary to meet the purpose;
  iii) the annexe is not capable of being used as a separate dwelling.

Outside the Housing Settlement Boundaries defined on the proposals maps, new housing development will not be permitted in the rural areas, except where the proposal involves:

• iv) A dwelling for a key worker essential to the operation of agriculture or forestry where it can be demonstrated that there is essential need for someone to live permanently on site to provide essential care to animals or processes; or
  v) The replacement of an existing dwelling on a one for one basis where the volume would not be greater than that of the dwelling to be replaced with the addition of any remaining permitted development rights and the curtilage of the development is no greater than the curtilage of the existing dwelling.

The alteration or extension of an existing dwelling outside the Housing Settlement Boundaries will be required to demonstrate that:

• vi) it is subordinate in scale and proportions to the original dwelling; and
• vii) it would not create or be capable of becoming a separate dwelling.

5.22 The need for agricultural dwellings may change from time to time with economic circumstances and some agricultural dwellings approved in the past may become surplus to requirements. In order to maintain the integrity of Policy RU6 it is important that such conditions, once imposed, should remain in force unless it can be proved beyond doubt that the essential need no longer exists, both on the particular holding and in the locality.

POLICY RU7: REMOVAL OF AGRICULTURAL OCCUPANCY CONDITIONS

Agricultural occupancy conditions will only be lifted where the local planning authority is satisfied that the need for such accommodation no longer exists. The onus will be on the applicant to demonstrate this and that the property has not been sold despite being on the market for at least 12 months at a price independently judged to be fair.

5.23 Rural exception sites: In the rural areas, the provision of affordable housing can be more challenging as the development strategy restricts housing development in the smaller villages and countryside. Granting planning permission on an exceptional basis for affordable housing on land next to the Housing Settlement Boundary of villages is one way in which to provide affordable housing which will continue to meet local needs. Where a rural exception site is proposed for development the Borough Council in consultation with local residents will determine whether it will meet an identified local need (the need of the parish and neighbouring rural parishes) and whether the site is most suitable for local need.

POLICY RU8: RURAL HOUSING EXCEPTION SITES

As an exception to the provision made in the Plan for general housing demand, the local planning authority will permit rural affordable housing schemes adjoining but outside a Housing Settlement Boundary or built up area of a village provided that:

• i) The development will meet or assist in meeting a proven and specific need for affordable housing in the locality which could not otherwise be met;
  ii) The development is on the edge of a village (as listed in Appendix A), well related to existing community services and facilities and is sympathetic to the form and character of the settlement;
  iii) The site is the most suitable to meet the identified need and, in particular, the need could not be met on any site which would better meet criterion (ii); and
  iv) Secure arrangements are made to ensure that initial and subsequent occupation of the dwellings can be restricted to those having an identified local need for affordable housing through the use of appropriate safeguards, including conditions or legal obligations.