New report reveals farm owners accepting lower prices in a bid to help the current lack of affordable housing.

Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has revealed that nearly 40% of rural landowners would put forward land at below market value for affordable housing.

The report states that farmers and landowners are more favourable in selling to housing associations or community trusts that have the intention of building affordable housing; also adding that they would dos so for below the market value.

The intentions behind such a generous offer are unclear; many famers and land investors in the claimed that such altruistic behaviour was purely for the benefit of the community and help provide land in housing starved areas. Yet, many said they would not consider selling to a local authority and would ignore offers from the local government.

The biggest concern for land owners is the lack of control they have over the occupation of the land, and the ownership of the land on completion of the sale. By choosing to sell to house builders land owners are confident in their land being used for affordable housing and use it as an opportunity to secure housing for family and friends.

RICS spokesperson James Rowlands commented: "Many landowners are willing to sell land for reduced prices to build affordable housing but want reassurance that it is the local community that will benefit. Guarantees must be put in place by government to ensure that the generosity of landowners benefits young people, farm workers and other groups who are struggling to afford to live in rural areas close to work, friends and family. Restrictions must be put in place through the planning system to keep affordable homes for these groups, rather than allowing them to simply be sold through the general housing market."

The biggest concern that this plays on land investors is the inability to invest in farmland; however many land investment companies are now launching eco and affordable housing programmes offering land owners the reassurance that their land will be put towards eco-friendly affordable housing. Companies such as Intelligent Land Investment are even prepared to replicate the farm owners actions of selling the land for below the market price; decreasing their overall profit.