Homes we need, systems under pressure- a Forest of Dean perspective

In my last column, I spoke about the pressure facing our local pubs - rising costs, changing expectations, and systems that don’t always reflect the realities of running a business in a rural community. Housing in the Forest of Dean faces many of the same tensions, and that’s why I wanted to share a little more about what sits behind the delivery of affordable homes locally.

When people hear that a housing site has planning permission, it’s natural to assume building will begin quickly. The reality is often very different.

Many developments rely on something called a Section 106 agreement- a legal arrangement that ensures new housing also provides benefits for the community, including affordable homes and local infrastructure. The intention is positive: growth should support the places people live, not just add pressure to them.

But agreeing these arrangements can take significant time, sometimes long after planning permission is granted. For local residents, that delay can feel confusing, particularly when housing need is so visible across the district.

In the Forest of Dean, the challenge is especially complex. We are rightly proud of our landscape, heritage and strong sense of community, and planning policies exist to protect those qualities. At the same time, we face real pressures: young people struggling to stay close to family, employers finding it harder to recruit because staff cannot afford to live locally, and older residents wanting to downsize but finding limited options.

Housing associations, known as Registered Providers, have traditionally played a key role by purchasing affordable homes delivered through Section 106 agreements. However, sector-wide pressures have changed that dynamic. According to the Home Builders Federation, rising costs, building safety commitments and tighter borrowing conditions mean some providers are stepping back, creating uncertainty for developers trying to bring forward schemes.

Smaller sites, often seen as more in keeping with the character of the Forest, can be the hardest to deliver because the legal complexity involved can outweigh their scale.

None of this means the system is failing entirely, but it does show how many competing priorities must be balanced. Planning officers, developers, communities and policymakers are all trying to achieve the same goal from different perspectives.

I’m sharing this not to assign blame, but to encourage understanding. Conversations about housing in the Forest of Dean can quickly become divided, yet most people ultimately want the same thing: thriving communities where people can live, work and remain connected to the place they call home.

If we can keep that shared goal in focus, we have a better chance of finding solutions that protect what makes the Forest special while still allowing it to grow.