COUNCIL chiefs have appealed to private landowners to help ease the problem of affordable housing in the Stonehouse area.

Stroud District Council representatives met to discuss the issue on Thursday in the latest in a series of seminars on low-cost housing. This discussion specifically addressed residents of Stonehouse and surrounding villages.

One key topic was the potential for developing privately owned agricultural land that would not ordinarily be granted planning permission as it sits outside a settlement's boundaries.

The council would offer a free pre-application advice service for those wishing to develop land. In most cases the next step would be to speak to a registered social landlord (RSL) or housing association, which would buy the land and build the properties.

Such homes would be reserved for people with a connection to the area and who are on the council's housing register or tenant transfer list.

Senior planning officer Darryl Rogers said: "If you have a section of land come and talk to us.

"Exception sites have no value for housing, except for housing associations."

Mr Rogers highlighted the fact that exception sites are also bound by normal housing policies including issues regarding access, visual impact, highways and design.

Responding to concerns from the audience about building on green field land, SDC's housing strategy manager Andy O'Brien, said: "Clearly a balance must be achieved, but we do need more housing."

John Shaw, the council's head of housing standards, added: "We have only had three or four planning exception sites so far, but we think there's an opportunity to do more."

At Stonehouse Parish Council's monthly meeting on Tuesday, town and district councillor Chris Brine, expressed disappointment at the outcome of the meeting.

He said: "There is a large proportion of the community out there that will never get affordable housing as they are not on the register. "I was a little bit disappointed that more didn't come out."