Rural affordable housing

People who are living in or are connected to rural parishes shouldn't need to move away from the villages they live and work in due to a lack of affordable housing.

Rural exception sites are small housing developments (usually 12 dwellings or less) which are developed for people with a connection to the parish in which they are built. They are are not restricted by the usual planning constraints.

We identify a need for these developments through a local housing needs survey. The survey also provides information about how many properties will be built and how big each property will be.

Getting a home in a rural exception site

Firstly, preference is given to people with a strong local connection to where the homes are being built.

Local connection is defined as:

• those who are normally a resident in the parish, or previously lived in the parish and have strong family connections
• a need to live in the village due to your employment
• a need to live within the village either to support, or be supported by, a family member
• the site is restricted for occupation by households with a member in housing need

If you are interested in living in a rural exception site in your parish, please find out more about our Housing Allocations Policy.
 

Community Council for Berkshire (CCB)

We provide funding for Community Council for Berkshire (CCB) to carry out the local housing needs surveys, and to work with parish councils to identify suitable locations for rural exception sites. 

The CCB also identifies suitable partners, usually housing associations, to develop and manage sites once they are built.