Affordable rural housing

The provision of Affordable Rural Housing is critical to maintaining a living, working countryside.

The role of the private sector remains very important in the provision of affordable homes, but the emphasis now needs to be on the implementation of these solutions.

When those who are born and bred in our villages and hamlets are forced to leave due to spiralling property prices, they take with them the children on whom village schools depend, the business on which village shops and pubs survive, the key workers on whom services depend and, crucially, the sense of community. HRH The Prince of Wales’ Affordable Housing Initiative (ARHI) has helped to both build greater recognition of the effect that a lack of affordable housing has on the social and economic well-being of our rural communities; and to engage businesses in finding practical solutions. 

The publication of the most recent guide, in June 2009, also marks the handover of responsibility for taking ARHI forward from Business in the Community to The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, who will be able to provide support on planning, design and implementation.

Launched in June 2003 and led by BITC, the ARHI focused on identifying where businesses could assist in the delivery of rural housing; identifying barriers to greater private sector involvement; and gathering and disseminating good practice.  This included: producing a series of guides for business (see ‘download our reports’ on the right hand side of this page); a report that fed directly into the Government’s Affordable Rural Housing Commission in 2006; and a national pilot project involving 10 water companies (see below for details).

The most recent guide provides ideas and recommendations for those who wish to be involved in the provision of rural affordable housing.   It demonstrates that the policy framework has never been more supportive and calls for action on the implementation of these solutions from businesses, local authorities and rural communities themselves.

Potential business involvement includes:

• providing land: using surplus or underused sites that could be sold or leased for new affordable housing developments;
• making property available: converting or renovating empty or underused property for residential use;
• assisting in access to finance: investing in shared ownership schemes, housing bonds or community trusts;
• ensuring high-quality developments: designing and building quality homes that suit the local community and are sympathetic to their surroundings.

Potential benefits to businesses include:

• generating financial returns from investing in housing schemes;
• opening up new markets, business opportunities, networks and contacts;
• attracting and retaining employees;
• gaining a competitive edge through innovation;
• enhancing their reputation by demonstrating commitment to local communities.

The Prince of Wales’ ARHI has been carried forward in partnership with the Countryside Agency (now the Commission for Rural Communities), the Housing Corporation (now the Homes and Communities Agency), the Country Land and Business Association, Hastoe Housing Association, the Duchy of Cornwall and The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment.

For more information, please contact James Hulme, Director of Public Affairs, The Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment.