CPRE Sussex responds to autumn budget

Charity welcomes budget for affordable housing but raises concerns over loss of support for farmers and increased bus fares.

CPRE Sussex has responded to the budget statement delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves this week.

The charity welcomed in principle the £3.1 billion to deliver more affordable housebuilding, if homes are built on sites backed by local people. It also welcomed £3 billion of support for small housebuilders in an industry dominated by a few “profit-hungry giants”.

Research has shown, while big developers keep profits high, small and medium-sized housebuilders can help to bring more genuinely affordable homes to the market.

However, CPRE Sussex said “affordable” housing is often far beyond the means of buyers in Sussex.

The charity called for affordability to be defined in terms of local incomes, rather than 80% of market value as is currently the case.

The increased bus fare cap will see bus user paying higher fares, increasing rural inequalities and harming efforts to reach net zero by 2030.

The charity also raised concerns about budget cuts at Defra, which threaten previously protected support for farms, and changing Agricultural Property relief – both of which put farms at risk.