PARISH councillors were encouraged by the Princess Royal yesterday to take the lead in establishing 'affordable' housing schemes in their villages, reports Lisa Higginson.

Addressing a village housing seminar at Grasmere yesterday in her role as President of the Rural Housing Trust, Princess Anne highlighted the important role parish councils can play in instigating housing schemes for local people.

"I am here to encourage the parish councils that it is really for you to take the lead on these issues that you can, and should have, a strong involvement in," she said.

"It is much better if any housing scheme is instigated by the parish councils as it will demonstrate to everybody else just how important it is locally. Be positive. You know there are complications, but many of these housing schemes do proceed smoothly, with little opposition and in a reasonable time scale."

The seminar at Grasmere Village Hall was also attended by representatives from the Lake District National Park Authority and local housing organisations who heard about the trust's role in promoting affordable housing projects for local people. They were also told about exception sites in small villages that have not been allocated for development in the Local Plan.

See Match 16 Westmorland Gazette for full story.