Countryside conundrum: navigating the rural housing crisis

Solving the housing crisis is one of the country’s biggest challenges, with 300,000 new homes needed annually. The lack of suitable and affordable housing is well understood by those looking to live in the country’s most affluent places, many of which are rural, but housebuilding in the countryside can be a contentious issue. Challenges such as the acute lack of affordable homes, second homes and holiday lets limiting rental property supply, community resistance, and planning constraints mean rural housing can be a divisive subject.

Undisputed though is the recognition that our current supply of rural housing stock is not meeting the needs of rural communities and coupled with the lack of suitable housing options for an aging population, is constraining the ability for families to live in rural areas. With the Council for the Protection of Rural Communities, stating that the rural housing crisis poses an existential threat to the survival of rural communities – how do we meet housing needs whilst protecting the very things that make rural living appealing?

Target driven growth

One of the Government’s early actions was to reintroduce mandatory housing targets which will see many local authorities required to deliver a far higher number of new homes annually. Expected to come into force in 2025, many of these targets will see the highest increase in housebuilding in rural areas. Rural authorities including West Oxfordshire, East Hampshire, North Norfolk, and West Berkshire will all, (give or take) see their targets double whilst Cornwall will see numbers increase by almost 70%, and for North Yorkshire the rise is threefold.

A means to boost housing numbers may be welcomed by those struggling to find suitable homes in these places, as well as by policy makers - as combined with declining services, the prevalence of holiday and second homes, and limited employment opportunities, the vitality of rural communities is at risk. Without quality affordable homes, school rolls fall, services close, and businesses struggle for staff and customers.

What is critical however, is that new rural housing is driven by local circumstances – and that the nature, location, volume, and affordability of homes – respond to the needs of the current population, as well as to retain and attract a more diverse set of residents to rural places.

A question of scale

There are many ways to develop homes in rural communities – from small ‘infills’ in existing settlements to the conversion of redundant farm buildings, to larger settlement extensions and new villages.

Smaller scale development is inevitably more palatable but doesn’t always address the availability of services or affordable homes. A few new homes added to a village can put pressure on existing services but lack the leverage to justify new ones, materially contribute to the sustainability of existing ones, or deliver affordable homes.

Whilst pepper-potting small developments across villages might be the path of least resistance, it is unlikely to create meaningful positive change. Mid-sized developments such as village extensions or new rural settlements can bring development at a scale that delivers beyond housing, to create the ingredients needed for sustainable rural living.

Such developments must meet rigorous tests to ensure impact on roads, drainage, habitats, infrastructure, and services is managed, mitigated and well-planned. Carefully considered development can provide new homes and facilities that become part of a wider ecosystem of rural villages, sharing services and critically provide a range of homes for diverse rural communities.

Building optimism

In many instances, the standard volume housebuilder approach to the delivery of housing is not agile enough to adapt to the needs of rural places. One way to improve affordability is to reduce build costs. This can be achieved through modern construction methods such as prefabrication and modular building. However, the aesthetic of new homes in rural areas is often heavily scrutinised to preserve the unique character of villages, and volume housebuilders tend to prefer to build to standard ‘house types’ that are not always architecturally appropriate in rural locations. These factors can stifle the ability to introduce new housing types, and more diversity is needed in developers and delivery models if we are to truly meet rural housing needs.

There are however reasons to be optimistic. In our work, we are seeing more rural landowners and estates looking to disrupt housing supply by working in partnership with smaller developers. This is helping to ensure design, as well as environmental and affordability standards are optimised. It means also, that decisions over where and what to build are being driven by a commitment to positive place-making, as well as profit.

Offering expertise in rural housing

Rural Solutions provide expertise to landowners and developers seeking to deliver quality housing developments in rural communities.

Working from initial identification and appraisal of sites, right through to design, planning and delivery. Our work ranges from infill developments to larger schemes and village extensions, affordable homes, self-build, live-work, and eco-houses. Our aim is to help deliver homes that meet the needs, aspirations, and commercial objectives of communities, landowners, and developers.

Contact us

From strategy to concept, design and planning to the delivery of the scheme, we can help you deliver high-quality schemes that support vibrant rural communities. Call us on 01756 797501 or email info@ruralsolutions.co.uk to find out more.

This article is an update of one that was first published in March 2024.