CHANCELLOR George Osborne visited the set of Agatha Raisin in west Wiltshire to welcome 50 local jobs created as a result of the Government’s support for British TV.

He was also there to discuss the launch of his rural productivity plan.

As part of the visit, the Chancellor toured the South Wraxall set on Thursday and met with cast and production crew working on the latest episode – which will be aired on Sky One – including actors Ashley Jensen and Jules Knight.

Agatha Raisin, produced by Mammoth Screen – the company behind Cornwall-based BBC hit Poldark – is benefitting from the government’s high-end TV tax relief, which provides a tax credit of 25 per cent on qualifying British TV productions.

Mammoth Screen has returned to the south west to film the new series, employing more than half of its staff locally, to fill roles in costume, sound and transport.

Mr Osborne said: “It is fantastic they are filming here in the West Country and creating jobs.

“Also, people see these beautiful villages and that helps support rural tourism, local pubs and farm shops, which all help a rural area thrive these days.”

While he was in Wiltshire, Mr Osborne had the opportunity to talk about the launch of the rural productivity plan – a blueprint on how he wants to reform planning laws to make it easier for villages to build new starter homes.

He said: “Of course we want our cities to grow but we also want to support rural business to grow and create jobs.”

Mr Osborne said the rural productivity plan aims to support young families who want to live in countryside areas, and give them a helping hand on the property ladder.

“We want to see new homes in villages. Our starter home scheme means a home for a young family with a 20 per cent discount can be built, helping that family get on the housing ladder.

“If we want our countryside to be a living, breathing part of our economy you have to have homes and jobs and good schools.”

Mr Osborne was keen to highlight how the Government wants to ensure these starter homes are affordable, especially in small villages such as South Wraxall.

“We are all about supporting working people, whether they live in our cities or indeed in beautiful areas of the countryside like this,” he said.

The announcement on starter homes was welcomed by Wiltshire Council.