An under supply of new homes and rising house prices have magnified a big issue many rural communities across the UK face, and that is affordability.
The lack of affordable homes has a cascading effect on rural communities. Local people looking to buy or rent are priced out of the area, which has a knock on effect to local businesses, and a negative social impact.
Appropriate development needs encouraging and supporting for rural communities to survive and thrive. 'Appropriate' being the key word to focus on, as this will ensure rural land is used in a way that has a long term benefit to the area.
A mixture of good quality, affordable housing is essential for communities to evolve in a sustainable way.
Action with Rural Communities in England (ACRE) supports this;
"ACRE supports appropriate development in rural areas, especially the provision of affordable housing, so that communities can thrive. Appropriate development underpins local service delivery, helps local businesses to flourish and creates a local social framework; all fundamental to ensuring a good quality of life for those living in rural areas."
Your Land Partner are working hard to create connections with Local Authorities and landowners to help tackle the affordability issue.
We truly believe that the only way to create lasting change is to work collaboratively with Local Authorities, land owners and local communities to obtain consents for appropriate, deliverable housing schemes in areas of real need.
Development in rural areas mainly falls on the shoulders of SME developers. One of the big challenges for small scale developers to balancing open market housing with the provision of affordable housing. Open market housing is often needed to create profit for the developer to enable them to build the much needed affordable housing.
Development in rural areas, often on Greenfield or Greenbelt land, is usually met with opposition from local residents, businesses and organisations. We encourage local people to explore the benefits of appropriate, well designed development projects and the part they will play in the long term future of the community.