THE ACHIEVEMENTS of the Cornwall Rural Housing Association in working with the county's community land trusts to provide affordable homes for local people should be used as an example to be replicated across the country, said Dr Stuart Burgess, chairman of the Commission for Rural Communities.

He was addressing the annual general meeting of the association at Trelissick, Truro.

He said that he was particularly impressed by the quality, as well as quantity, of homes built by the association, especially the two-bedroom units which he felt was what most people needed.

The community land trusts had enabled homes to be built which helped maintain the vibrancy of villages and small communities, but he said that a balance needed to be maintained.

"The last thing I want is for homes to be built everywhere, you need the right number to suit the community."

In the past year, the association has built 66 affordable houses, either for sale or rent, in various parts of the county.

Two of these homes are to be officially opened on Bryher, Isles of Scilly, this week. The two and three-bedroom homes will be among the first examples of social housing provided on the off-islands.

Dr Burgess said some organisations, including the National Trust, had raised objections to the Government's draft National Planning Policy Framework.

Tone

This had a presumption in favour of sustainable development and the end of the target for building 60 per cent of new homes on brownfield land.

He said there was a danger that the tone of the current debate risked losing sight of some fundamental problems facing our countryside.

"England's villages need more housing if they are going to survive, and thrive as vibrant communities for the next generation," he said.

"That is the best way to keep the ever-decreasing number of rural shops, post offices and pubs open, all of which provide a lifeline for local people.

"I'm not talking about huge developments which dwarf the existing village, but small developments of perhaps ten or twelve dwellings, in keeping with the environment.

"Not just affordable houses, though that is essential in many areas, but some for the open market too."

The chairman of the Cornwall Rural Housing Association, Graham Facks-Martin, said that during the past year the association had completed its largest annual development programme, leading to an increase in housing stock from 250 to 294 dwellings.

Affordable

Schemes completed over the year included four homes at affordable rents at Landrake, two on Bryher, 21 at Delabole, six at St Teath, four at Rock, two at St Ewe, three on St Agnes and two on St Martin's, both in the Isles of Scilly.

"All of the new dwellings have been let and we have therefore provided new accommodation for 44 families in need of housing," said Mr Facks-Martin.

The association had a successful year financially, with a surplus of £158,199 and a strong balance sheet with reserves of over £1 million.

Director of the association Peter Moore presented figures which showed the average weekly rent for a two-bedroom house was £80.19, £91.18 for three bedrooms and £98.27 for four bedrooms, an increase of just 1.57 per cent on last year.