A recent Government report was fiercely critical of “restrictive” planning policies in the countryside.

As a result of this report’s findings local authorities have been ordered to adopt a ‘relaxed’ approach to the building of new homes in areas where planning permission has traditionally been refused.

The reforms which are to be announced later this month include:

- earmark land suitable for housing in every village where housing is needed
- implement new powers to overrule normal planning curbs in protected areas
- provide incentives for farmers to sell land to developers
- it is expected 16,000 towns, villages and hamlets across England could be affected

Further Reading
Gordon Brown to bulldoze rural housing curbs, Sunday Times