Sustainable development has shot up the Government agenda with rapid speed in recent years and it's a subject that manifests itself in many different ways. David Coulson, partner in rural chartered surveyors Broadley & Coulson and RICS regional policy spokesman on rural affairs, outlines the issues it presents for the rural market.
The very words 'rural' and 'sustainability' are all too often greeted with the stereotypical view that development will come only if its located close to a bus stop. In all honesty, there is some truth in this but in reality the issues are much more extensive.
For rural communities, sustainability is not just about energy consumption and carbon emissions (although these are crucial), but it's also about sustaining the quality of life in villages by keeping local shops, post offices, banks, schools and pubs open and by providing houses for key workers and affordable housing for those starting out on the property ladder.
One of the biggest problems we face is affordability of homes. Prices have risen as affluent people from urban areas have been attracted by 'village life'. This has forced many key workers in villages across the region to live further a field in cheaper urban conurbations - a dilemma which has a knock on effect to the local rural economy.
The other side of this double edged sword is that people living in villages are commuting in the opposition direction on a daily basis to city centre employment. Aside from the carbon issues this presents, without an economic heart of their own villages risk becoming nothing more than commuter belts.
Add to this the number of âsecondâ or âholidayâ homes particularly along the Northumberland coastline which stand empty for the most part of the year, making little contribution to the rural economy; itâs not hard to see why local businesses are suffering.
Another key issue affecting sustainable rural development is the strict rules to which planners much abide and which leave little room for negotiation. Whilst I strongly believe that the charm of the countryside should be preserved at all cost, this does not mean that sustainable development of those rural communities cannot take place at all and there needs to be much more flexibility in the system.
In the current system â" as I touched on earlier â" planners largely see public transport as the main decision-making factor in granting approval for development. If the development is not in a village (and next to a bus stop) then the answer will more than likely be ânoâ to your planning application.
What planners need to accept, however, is that sustainability issues stretch much further than the proximity of a proposed development to a sustainable transport route â" letâs not forget my earlier point that most people drive to and from rural villages anyway.
In order to really deliver sustainable change to rural communities a complete overhaul of the system is required, especially transport and infrastructure, not only to improve links for those living and working in villages, but also to help drive tourism into these areas which plays such an important part of our regional economy. To do this, weâll need more support - and funding - from Government.
The countryside, by its very nature, is unique in the challenges and opportunities it presents for development and a more flexible planning approach is urgently required.
In the meantime, and with the support of partners like the RICS, we must work with local planning officers at the forefront of rural communities to help instigate positive sustainable change.
ENDS
Media contact:
Vicky Beynon or Michelle Oliver
Golley Slater North East
0191 2459020
victoria.beynon@golleyslater.co.uk / michelle.oliver@golleyslater.co.uk
