As house prices in some rural areas reach almost 10 times local earnings, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) and the National Housing Federation (NHF) have joined together to call on the Government to address this crisis urgently.
CPRE, which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England, and the National Housing Federation, which represents 1400 housing associations in England that provide 2 million homes for 5 million people, have published a joint Charter: "Protect Rural England: Build an Affordable Home".
CPRE Chief Executive Shaun Spiers said: "People may be surprised by this unexpected alliance but it has been brought about by an urgent need to address the rural housing crisis. We have set out the key steps we believe could help provide the homes that are so desperately needed in rural areas. The Affordable Rural Housing Commission that reported in May offered the Government real solutions to this worsening situation. So far we have had little response from Government."
David Orr, NHF Chief Executive said: "Unless we act now, we will create a rural theme park, where only the very wealthy can live, with small pockets of communities living in real hardship. To have a dynamic rural economy, we need homes and jobs in our villages and hamlets. The Comprehensive Spending Review and the impending review of the role of social housing is an opportunity for the Government to make a real difference to the future of England's countryside. There's an urgent need to increase the provision of affordable housing in villages and rural towns. Many people who play an important role in rural communities cannot afford to live in them. Sustainable rural communities require a range of housing to meet a range of needs in order to thrive, prosper and adapt to change."
Mr Spiers and Mr Orr jointly declared: "If Government creates the right conditions then housing associations and CPRE local branches can work together in market towns and villages across England to develop well designed, appropriately sited affordable homes to meet local needs. Together our organisations are ready to help find the solutions needed to make sure rural England remains a vibrant, sustainable place to live. And not somewhere where our young people are forced to move away, leaving many places in rural England as simply dormitories for commuters and second home owners.
The National Housing Federation and CPRE are calling on Government to:
* publish a clear timetable outlining how they propose to respond to the Rural Housing Commission's findings;
* ensure that rural housing is recognised explicitly in the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review;
* ensure that Professor John Hills's review of social housing includes rural housing as an explicit part of its brief; and
* require any new body created by the proposed merger of English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation to have a specific rural housing remit, reflected in its funding priorities.
