From energy to housing, CLA reacts to King's Speech

The CLA has urged the government not to leave rural communities behind, after its plans were outlined in the King's Speech.

In a speech written by the government, the King has announced more than 30 draft laws, with several impacting CLA members.

Plans include:

• Abolishing section 21 'no-fault' evictions
• Planning reforms allowing some parts of the green belt to be redesignated as "grey belt" to be built on
• Setting up GB Energy, a new state-owned energy company to invest in renewable energy projects
• Transferring more powers to elected mayors in city regions in areas like housing, transport and planning.

Country Land and Business Association (CLA) President Victoria Vyvyan said:

“The rural economy is 16% less productive than the national average, and closing that gap could add £43bn to UK GVA.

“With the right support, rural businesses can generate growth, creating good jobs and prosperity for every community. The CLA stands ready to work with the new government to help deliver.”

Victoria said:

“In the absence of section 21 in England, it is crucial that alternative grounds for repossession are fit for purpose and the private rented sector can continue to support the efficient functioning of the rural economy.

“The court system must also be significantly improved before any such changes are introduced, so it can cope effectively with the inevitable increase in cases. The section 21 procedure does not require a court hearing but without it, all repossessions will.

“Removing section 21 without such assurances risks increasing numbers of landlords up and down the country selling up, with a recent CLA survey finding the market is already shrinking. This would make the current shortages worse, and ultimately hurt renters.

“With rented homes in rural areas in short supply, it is becoming increasingly common for employers to need to offer accommodation to employees, so new grounds for possession are required to ensure properties can be accessed fairly and flexibly when they are needed to accommodate rural workers and others within the community.

“Everyone wants to see fairness in the private rented sector, where the rights and responsibilities of both landlords and tenants are balanced appropriately. The majority of landlords are responsible, providing quality housing to millions of people, and the CLA will continue to work with government to support the rural sector.”

“The majority of landlords are responsible, providing quality housing to millions of people, and the CLA will continue to work with government to support the rural sector.”

Victoria said:

“The countryside can play a pivotal role in helping to make Britain a clean energy superpower and achieve net zero.

"Rapid progress could be made if the barriers to realising the energy and decarbonisation opportunities in rural areas are tackled, with more local models of electricity generation and supply facilitated, and greater weight attached to the benefits of early engagement with rural communities and landowners on energy and infrastructure projects.”

Victoria said:

“Efforts to grow the economy should apply equally to rural and urban areas. We know that the rural economy is held back by painfully slow processes in local authorities, particularly when related to planning and housing.

"Put simply, the government's localism agenda will fail unless local authorities have the ambition, resources and expertise to deliver economic growth.”

Victoria said:

“The new government is right to view unlocking economic growth as its core mission, and if there are no housebuilding targets it will struggle to deliver 1.5 million homes over the next Parliament.

“Large strategic sites are important to this delivery, but rural communities cannot be left behind, and need a small number of homes to be built in a large number of villages to keep them sustainable.”

Stay tuned for further analysis on the announcements from CLA experts.