Warning on affordable rural homes

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Future generations will not be able to afford to buy homes in the countryside unless the government takes action, two organisations have warned.

The National Housing Federation and the Campaign to Protect Rural England are calling on the government to tackle the shortage of affordable rural houses.

They want to see a timetable for implementing last year's Affordable Rural Housing Commission report.

This called for measures such as limiting the right to buy rural homes.

Published in June last year, the independent Affordable Rural Housing Commission (ARHC) report also called for previously developed public land to be made available for affordable housing, and for a reduction in the number of empty homes.

'Urgent action needed'

The National Housing Federation and the Campaign to Protect Rural England are putting forward their concerns at a rural housing conference on Wednesday in Rugby, Warwickshire.

"Eight months have passed since the ARHC gave us a blueprint for addressing the rural housing crisis," sad David Orr, the National Housing Federation's executive.

"What change have we seen since then? Precious little.

"The government can't afford to drag its heels while so many people in our rural communities are denied access to an affordable home. Urgent action is needed."

A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said it was already implementing one of the most important recommendations of the ARHC report - changing planning guidance to support more affordable homes being built in rural areas.

"We agreed with the ARHC that we need more affordable homes in rural areas to help families stay in the countryside," he said.