Ministers drop plan to relax affordable housing rules after rural homes backlash

Government concedes ‘significant opposition’ requires new approach on quotas for medium-sized development sites

Ministers have dropped plans to relax affordable housing rules for developers in England after a backlash from housing experts who warned it could drastically cut the number of cheaper homes available in rural areas.

The government said on Monday it would not go ahead with proposals to end affordable housing quotas for private builders on sites between 10 and 49 houses after a consultation triggered an overwhelmingly negative response.