Skyrocketing home prices in rural areas push native residents into rental accommodations
Rural Housing Crisis Highlighted in County Councils Network Report
A recent report by the County Councils Network (CNN) has shed light on the growing issue of rural housing shortages and affordability. The report, which focuses on England's county council regions, reveals that the demand for rental properties in rural areas has significantly increased compared to London and other cities.
According to the report, the number of households in private and social rented properties in rural areas has increased by 550,000 between 2011 and 2021. This means that renting now makes up almost one third of all housing in these regions.
The rising demand for rental properties in rural areas is a symptom of the housing shortages and affordability issues that are prevalent in these regions. The report highlights the consequences of these issues, including rising homelessness, weakened local rural economies, and younger residents and key workers being pushed out of rural communities due to housing unaffordability.
To address these issues, the report makes several recommendations. It suggests accelerating the delivery of affordable housing in rural areas by better integrating rural needs into national planning and investment frameworks. The report also recommends prioritizing social housing and affordable homes that are genuinely accessible to people on council waiting lists, especially in rural communities where they are currently out of reach.
The report also suggests implementing a flexible zoning system rather than the current discretionary approach to facilitate more effective and locally appropriate housing development. Additionally, it recommends increasing and maintaining funding levels for rural housing programs to support direct housing assistance and development.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has expressed its commitment to creating a fair housing system that works for everyone in both urban and rural areas. The department has already implemented initiatives such as the Affordable Housing Scheme, launched in 2020, which has already supported the delivery of over 6,000 affordable homes.
However, the report also calls attention to the need for a new rural housing plan from the government, with a greater focus on social housing. Richard Clewer, housing and planning spokesperson for CNN, stated that the housing crisis is worsening and is locking hundreds of thousands out of getting onto the property ladder.
The report also highlights the need to avoid alleviating rural housing issues by concreting over the countryside. It emphasizes the importance of sustainable and locally appropriate housing solutions that will ensure rural communities remain viable places to live and work.
In conclusion, the County Councils Network report identifies increased rural rental demand as a symptom of rural housing shortages and affordability issues compared to London and other cities. It advocates for targeted policy reforms and investment to unlock rural housing delivery, reform planning, and expand social and affordable housing.
- The County Councils Network report advocates for integrating rural needs into national planning and investment frameworks for housing, aiming to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing.
- To facilitate more effective and locally appropriate housing development, the report suggests implementing a flexible zoning system instead of the current discretionary approach.
- In light of the housing crisis, the report emphasizes the need for government investment in rural housing programs, highlighting the importance of direct housing assistance and development.
- Personal finance experts may find it important to monitor policy-and-legislation changes regarding rural housing, as they can potentially impact real-estate investing opportunities in these regions.
- In the general news, many are discussing the increasing demand for rentals in rural areas and calling for a new rural housing plan from the government, with a greater focus on social housing to address the growing crisis.
