NHF: Federation welcomes government proposals to tackle rural housing crisis

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Wednesday, 08, Oct 2008 12:00

The National Housing Federation today welcomed the Government's proposals and said they were a step in the right direction to tackling the affordable housing crisis in the countryside.

Helen Williams, the Federation’s assistant director, said: “With nearly 700,000 people on waiting lists for an affordable home in rural England, any measures which help local people onto the property ladder must be welcomed.

“But the rural housing crisis is undoubtedly getting worse. The average rural home costs 13 times the average rural income, and local people are being priced out of the market in alarming numbers.

“The Government needs to find additional ways of freeing up more public land for new affordable homes and restrict the right to buy council houses in rural areas if we are to prevent our villages becoming playgrounds for wealthy second home owners.”

Last month the Federation, which represents England’s housing associations, launched a joint charter with the Campaign to Protect Rural England, setting out how the supply of affordable homes could be increased.

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For more information please contact Nick Foley on 0207 067 1028/ 07748 931286.