DEVON County Council has welcomed the Government’s decision to drop plans that could have removed affordable housing requirements from developments of between 10 and 49 homes.

The proposals had raised concerns among housing organisations and rural communities, with fears that they could have led to a significant reduction in the number of affordable homes being built in areas such as Devon.

Medium-sized developments are particularly important in rural areas, where larger housing schemes are less common.

Analysis by the National Housing Federation found that more than half of all affordable homes delivered in the most rural parts of England come from developments of between 10 and 49 properties.

The Government’s decision comes as Devon continues to face a significant shortage of affordable and social housing.

Housing waiting lists remain high, while many families and individuals are struggling to find homes they can afford in the communities where they live and work.

The Devon Housing Commission has previously highlighted the scale of the challenge, describing the county as facing an acute shortage of affordable housing.

Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, said the decision was particularly important for rural communities.

‘This is the right decision for rural communities’, she said. ‘In places like Devon, many affordable homes are delivered through developments of 10 to 49 properties.

‘If the requirement for affordable housing had been removed, it would have become even harder for local families, young people and key workers to find somewhere they can afford to live’.

She added that demand for affordable housing remained high, with many people struggling to find homes in the communities where they grew up or work.

‘Protecting affordable housing requirements on these sites will help ensure rural communities remain thriving and sustainable places to live’, she said.

The county council also pointed to work already under way through the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority to increase the supply of affordable housing across the region.

Partners in Devon and Torbay have developed a county-wide pipeline of priority housing sites with Homes England and are working to secure investment through the Government’s Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

One of the key aims is to increase the proportion of affordable homes delivered as part of new developments and bring forward more genuinely affordable housing for local people.

Councillor Cottle-Hunkin said there was no single answer to Devon’s housing pressures, but described the Government’s decision as an important step.

‘We will continue working with our partners across Devon and Torbay to bring forward more affordable housing and give local people a better chance of securing a home in the communities they love’, she said.