Column: ​Affordable housing crisis is affecting social fabric in rural communities

​This inequality is stifling economic growth in rural areas and undermining the social fabric of many communities.

Rural Action Derbyshire (RAD) has received a new package of government funding to begin a new project to help communities in Derbyshire unlock affordable housing opportunities in rural areas.

Rural villages can be transformed by small schemes of well designed, affordable rented homes which are only available only to people with local connections.

This means the people can live where they want to live, whether to be close to family, for work or because they are rooted in their community.

For many villages, rural exception sites are the only form of residential development allowed under local planning rules to meet the needs of local residents.

Some villages have produced a Neighbourhood Plan and identified suitable sites. Others may not have considered what their local housing needs are.

In either case, RAD’s Rural Housing Enablement team can help to help deliver the Government’s goal of increasing the supply of affordable homes in rural areas, set out in their 2023 Unleashing Rural Opportunity strategy.

RAD, will be working with Midlands Rural Housing (MRH) to organise a series of roadshows over the next six months. Parish councils, community groups and landowners will be able to find out how they can work with RAD to identify local housing needs and suitable sites for the development of affordable homes in rural areas.

Beverley Parker, CEO at Rural Action Derbyshire said: “We are pleased that Defra has made funds available to address the shortage of affordable homes in rural areas. Building more affordable homes in rural areas for local people helps make communities stronger and more sustainable.

"We are looking forward to working with Midlands Rural Housing to help bring forward new schemes in Derbyshire.”

If you want to know more, register your interest by emailing [email protected]