Dearth of affordable rural homes

Rural communities are losing their inhabitants because of the rising costs of property, according to one expert.

The National Housing Federation and the Campaign to Protect Rural England both said yesterday that there is a dearth of young people in rural areas which means schools and shops are closing down. Both organisation are campaigning for more affordable rural homes.

Last year''s Affordable Rural Housing Commission report highlighted possible ways of doing this including using already empty properties and limiting rights to buy rural properties.

Judith Derbyshire, who manages Cumbria Rural Housing Trust, said: "Young people moving out so therefore you haven''t got any children coming into schools, the local shop is going to be unsustainable it affects the whole community."

She added that the older people left still need adequate care facilities for when they get older, which is a big issue because young people who may have become carers or opened nursing homes have left the countryside.


© Adfero Ltd