Working with Landowners

Finding available and suitable sites for small affordable housing developments is a key part of the development process.

The site must be appropriate in planning terms, have the support of the Parish, and have a willing landowner who will sell for exception site values.

Exception sites have a unique land value that is between agricultural value and hope value.  The price agreed for the land is important to ensure that the housing to be provided is affordable.  One of the aims of HARAH is to have a consistent approach to exception site land values, to ensure that rural housing schemes are viable and affordable.  This will generally be in the region of £10,000 per plot dependant upon site constraints.

Land can be brought forward in a number of ways:

• The Rural Housing Enabler (RHE) will undertake a sites appraisal in the Parish, once the need has been identified, to look for any appropriate sites.  The RHE will then make contact with the landowner if their site is deemed suitable, in accordance with the Parish.
   
• The Parish Council will put out an advertisement  calling for sites, to encourage any landowners who wish to make their land available to come forward.  These will then be appraised by the RHE and planning department to assess their suitability.

The land will usually be bought freehold by one of the partners within Hampshire Village Homes who will then appoint a locally-based contractor to undertake the HARAH scheme. Sometimes the land is purchased on a long lease, at the landowner's request.

If you have a site that you feel may be suitable, please contact the Rural Housing Enablers or Hampshire Village Homes who will be able to provide more information.