Live/work key to rural economy says MP
A review by Lib Dem MP Matthew Taylor of rural housing and the economy, commissioned by Gordon Brown shortly after he became prime minister, calls on planners and regional government agencies to encourage and support live/work.
In a landmark report, Truro MP Matthew Taylor says the government’s regional development agencies and council planners should support further development of live/work units and hubs in rural areas.
Explicit backing
The review, which was published yesterday, includes two recommendations (26 and 29) that explicitly support live/work.
It says an exemplar programme should be set up in one or more regions to test-bed practical issues for live/work units in rural areas, adopting a recommendation in a recent Live/Work Network report, Tomorrow's Property Today.
It also says councils should incorporate a policy supporting home-based working in their local development framework.
The report backs pro-live/work advice in draft Planning Policy Statement 4 but adds councils should be encouraged to collect data on home workers to better inform their business support services.
The report notes: ‘Rural economies [are] characterised by a higher proportion of small and micro-businesses, self employment and home-based work.
‘Just over one-in-six (17%) rural working residents work from home – a figure that rises to 31% in the most rural areas – compared to 8% of urban based residents.39. If we are to nurture these economies we need to move away from excessively restrictive and inflexible planning practices, to safeguard employment space and support small and home-based business growth, including using redundant agricultural buildings where appropriate.’
It also urges the government to support the ‘growing opportunities home-based working can provide for economic participation by affordable housing tenants'. The National Housing Federation, it adds, should promote tenancy agreements that do not prohibit home-based working for tenants.
Tim Dwelly, director of Live/Work Network, which advised the review, commented: 'We strongly welcome Matthew Taylor's call for an exemplar live/work programme and will shortly publish our own proposals on what the programme could deliver.
'In modern Britain, home is now the place where enterprise begins - and in many cases continues and flourishes. Given the strength of the trend towards combined workspace and home, we think it is self evident that more needs to be done to encourage well designed live/work schemes.
'We also welcome the call for enterprise hubs. These can encourage otherwise isolated home-based businesses to collaborate and network. Live/work developments provide ideal opportunities to finance such hubs.'
For more on Live Work Network’s response, click here
Click here to read the full report.
