This Rural Housing Week (7-11 July), Hastoe is joining the National Housing Federation (NHF) and other rural housing associations in shining a spotlight on the social and economic benefits affordable housing brings to rural communities.
The rural housing specialist is hosting two unique events for local partners in Devon and Hampshire, to showcase the challenges and opportunities for building more affordable rural homes:
- Parracombe, Devon on Tuesday 8 July
- Curdridge, Hampshire on Friday 11 July (where Hastoe is also due to complete 8 new homes later this year).
Both events will be attended by representatives from 15-20 different organisations, including parish councils, district councils, community land trusts and architects, amongst others, all with a keen interest in unlocking more rural affordable housing in their region.
Above: West Farm Close, Eltisley, South Cambs
In addition, Hastoe’s two Regional Development Managers will be supporting other events happening across the week.
Chris Meadows will be speaking at an NHF webinar on Monday 7 July entitled ‘Solving the Housing Crisis in Rural Areas’, while Mike Cramp is speaking at a Community Action Suffolk (CAS) event called ‘Rooted in Rural, Strengthening Communities’ in Stowmarket on Thursday 10 July.
The affordable housing crisis in rural areas is acute, with the need for homes 50% higher than in urban areas and up to a 93-year wait for affordable housing*. We know the devastating impact this lack of homes can have on rural communities. The key to building more homes in rural areas lies in all the right parties coming together to collaborate at the right time, equipped with the practical knowledge they need to move affordable schemes forward.
That’s why this Rural Housing Week, as well as supporting the events of our partners at the NHF and CAS, Hastoe is bringing key partners together in Devon and Hampshire to discuss opportunities for more rural affordable housing, with a focus on practical advice and real-life examples to demonstrate how we can solve this crisis together.
The events come off the back of a busy year for Hastoe, which has added 105 new affordable homes to its housing stock in the last 12 months. The new properties include 47 homes of mixed tenure at Hastoe’s largest land-led development to date in Martlesham, Suffolk, plus 9 new mixed tenure homes in Eltisley and a number of rural Section 106 properties across the south of England.
*Source: Mind the Gap: How Rural Communities are Falling Behind on Affordable Homes (Arc4, Rural Housing Solutions, English Rural)
Above: Hastoe homes at Sheepwash, Devon. Below: New homes at Martlesham, Suffolk
