New report debunks myth that

rural housing is too expensive

English Rural has published a new report that pours cold water on the notion that providing affordable homes in rural areas is too expensive to be sustainable.

The report, No More Excuses, came out last month and included data which showed the difference in costs to a housing association of managing a rural home compared to a property in an urban location.

Annual running costs for the average rural home came in at £469, which were found to be 44 per cent lower than the £842 needed to manage an urban property.

English Rural claims the misconception lasted so long because there are some extra costs involved in the initial building of rural homes.

However, it found these overheads do not carry over into the costs associated with day-to-day management.

Martin Collett, Chief Executive of English Rural, said: “The findings are clear and consistent: affordable rural housing works.

“It is cost effective to manage, it delivers outstanding outcomes for residents, and it generates social and economic value that far outweighs the barriers that have held rural delivery back.”

The report from English Rural can be viewed in full at www.englishrural.org.uk.

For more information about ACRE’s Rural Housing Enabler programme, contact Max Banfield, RHE Programme Manager, at m.banfield@acre.org.uk.