Rural communities ‘held back’ by high house prices, Stonewater survey finds

More than wo-thirds (69%) of people who live in rural communities said it is hard to secure housing in their local area, according to new polling by Opinium commissioned by the 39,000-home housing association, Stonewater.

Of those who said it is difficult to secure housing, 70% attribute the issue to high housing costs, while a third (33%) believe that limited housing supply drives up prices.

The survey revealed there is demand for new affordable housing in rural areas, with 53% of respondents expressing interest in low-cost ownership and council housing, and 46% in social housing.

More broadly, 42% of rural residents believe a key constraint for people moving to the countryside is the lack of good quality, affordable housing.

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The polling also showed that people in rural communities highlighted a lack of public transport (55%) and services (45%) in their area, with these being the most significant reasons why people might be deterred from moving to the countryside.

This sentiment was shared by urban and suburban respondents, who said that a lack of public services (44%), a lack of public transport (43%), and a lack of public amenities (39%) were the key reasons why they wouldn’t move to the countryside.

Jonathan Layzell, chief growth officer at Stonewater, said: “The housing crisis in rural areas is particularly acute and a drastic change of direction is needed to ensure those living in rural communities are not held back and have the opportunity to stay there with the right housing and amenities. One of the key channels to address this is to build more affordable rural homes, and that’s why we’re calling for the next government to ensure a long-term Affordable Homes Programme to enable new homes across the country.”

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: “We are in the midst of a housing emergency, the effects of which are felt even more acutely by those in rural communities. When the supply of new affordable housing doesn’t meet local need, local businesses and services are impacted and the whole community suffers. It affects people’s jobs, children’s education, means many are forced to move away and in the worst cases puts people at risk of homelessness.

“Building more social and affordable homes in rural areas is the key to enabling communities to thrive, both socially and economically, and it’s clear there’s support for it, as this research shows. We need the next government to meet the needs of these communities and commit to a long-term plan for housing to help tackle the housing crisis in rural areas.”