Young farmers priced out of the countryside due to lack of affordable homes
Young farmers are being priced out of living in the rural Westcountry due to a shortage of affordable homes, a coalition of farming and housing groups warned today.
House prices in the countryside have more than doubled during the past decade but the average salary for people working in the countryside has risen to just £21,000.
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The National Housing Federation, the National Farmers Union and the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs said the high cost of housing meant the vast majority of people in rural areas had little hope of ever being able to afford to buy a property where they lived. In the South West the problem is particularly acute, with property prices, particularly in rural parts, being on average higher than in many parts of the country.
The average home in Devon comes in at £245,000, while in Cornwall that figure is £227,000.
The groups have warned that the lack of affordable housing posed a threat to the South West's traditional rural life.
The survey comes just weeks after the Young Farmers at their annual conference in Torquay were warned that rural communities were at risk of becoming the preserve of the wealthy, second-home owners and the elderly.
Catherine Brabner of the National Housing Federation told the conference: "Rural communities need to stay as mixed communities, where people are able to buy a paper, have a pint or go to the garage for petrol. Affordable housing has to be an essential part of that."
Research carried out for the National Housing Federation found that 65 per cent of people living in rural England thought local families and young people were being priced out of villages and market towns by the high cost of property.
A further 63 per cent thought there was a shortage of affordable homes for local people in their village, with 70 per cent saying they would support plans to build a small number of affordable properties for local people in their area.
More than a third of people in rural communities thought key services, such as village shops, post offices and pubs, had declined during the past five years, while 31 per cent thought second-home owners had a negative impact on community life.
One in five people also thought the number of second homes in their community had increased during the past five years.
The federation, which represents housing associations in England, said the number of people on waiting lists for affordable housing in England had soared to 750,000, and it estimates that nearly 100,000 new affordable homes need to be built in rural areas during the coming 10 years to meet demand.
It said hundreds of pubs and shops were closing every year in rural England, while village schools were closing at the rate of one a month due to declining demand as local families were priced out of the area by wealthy commuters and second-home owners.
The group is calling on local housing authorities to draw up action plans to address the housing needs of people in their communities to ensure villages remain sustainable.
David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: "Unless we build more affordable homes for the local families who sustain and enrich village life, then we must accept that traditional community life will be wiped out within a generation in many areas.
"Local authorities need to assess just how many affordable homes are needed in each rural ward, and draw up action plans to get those homes delivered, before more small village schools are closed and traditional village life dies on its feet."
YFC members in Devon have already identified house prices, being outbid by developers, the struggle to get land passed for development and the additional problems faced by single young people trying to find affordable homes as key issues facing young people looking for an affordable home in rural areas. They have already pledged to lobby and petition at local level.
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by TimV, Pz
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 1:42PM
“Perhaps I should make it clear that the illustrative figures relate to total population rather than immigration alone, which may have been inferred from the faulty syntax. Apologies if anyone was confused by this.”
by TimV, Pz
Tuesday, July 13 2010, 3:36PM
“Housing always has and always will be a political "hot potato". Why? Because somewhere to live is a basic human need, in common with food and water. Maslow's 1942 idea of a Hierarchy of Needs is relevant here. For well over a century the British Government, of all three political persuasions, have accepted this principle by enacting laws to place obligations on landlords and duties on local authorities to provide houses with funds from central government. The result has been a transformation in house ownership vis a vis rent. Even between 1971 and 2002 home ownership increased from 49 to 69 per cent, with most of the increase occurring in the 1980s. The increase has levelled off since then. This means that for the majority, the home is the biggest financial asset that increased roughly threefold in the last decade. This phenomenal inflation was caused by supply and demand, aided and abetted by the financiers, who increasingly relaxed their conditions and turned a blind eye to ability to repay. The consequences are there for all to see. It was also fuelled by greed and few complained as they saw their notional wealth increase. The wealth is largely illusionary however, unless one is down sizing, dying or fortunate enough to own a second or portfolio of properties. The down side is that for those on lower incomes or first time buyers, owning one's own home becomes increasingly impossible. Renting becomes the only option, the bill for which, through Housing Benefit is largely picked up by the tax payer. This is a ludicrous situation and one which the government will have to tackle, if it is not to oversee millions living on the streets or national coffers emptied! Cornwall has special problems arising from the fact that it is a popular destination. High prices result from the demand from net immigration 345,442 in 1951 to 468,425 in 2001, since when it has continued to increase. Moving here from other parts of the country and owning second homes has resulted paradoxically both massive increase in housing stock and scarcity. Meanwhile the proportion of people under 40 has fallen dramatically. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the desire to own one's own home. It is generally good for the individual and good for the state. Or to allow people the option of purchasing their home from a social housing provider if so desired but it needs to be subject to control to prevent them becoming second homes for the wealthy. Indeed when housing is such a scarce resource, there is an argument for at least making it less financially attractive and ensuring no house stands empty for the majority of the year.”
by Freethinker, Cornwall
Tuesday, July 13 2010, 11:30AM
“I know Charles, I've seen the You Tube video before, last year in fact!. It's a crying shame that Klaus was forced to have his country sign the Lisbon Treaty. Another firm stab in the back for national sovereignty, and a step in the directon of formulating a World Government. Just look a what's happening to the American border with Mexico. The Arizona issue. Have a listen to this Charles....
http://www.youtube.com/user/SoCalMartialLawAlert#p/a/u/1/3a6LO9LPR7Y
Shocking!. Who is actually protecting the American national border with Mexico?....
Freethinker”
by Gary, Saltash
Tuesday, July 13 2010, 7:43AM
“At least you seem to be having fun Charles, for the record of course the housing stock was depleted, the housing stock was used to house people unable to buy a property, it's like saying there is no world hunger because I saw food on the shelf's of Waitrose”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Monday, July 12 2010, 10:26PM
“:) Justin my old mucker, listen very carefully to all President Klaus says. He is an economist.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZF1FY4g2mY&NR=1
We live to fight another day. . Best Charles”
by Freethinker, Cornwall
Monday, July 12 2010, 10:10PM
“Well Mr' ava Goodrant, Mullion Island Beach Holiday Resort that was fairly well said.
America is facing a major financial depression unlike anything we've seen economically. With a Middle-East war with Iran on the cards and the banksters dropping and devaluing the $dollar$ things seem to be coming to ahead. World Government is already in the early stages of birth. Socialism is embraced by the global corporate elite. I suppose it serves their global intrests. Communism, Capitalism etc.... are al controlled ideologies of banking families. Just look at Obama a.k.a Barry Soetoro. Nowdays, the thinnest crack in the foundation of corporate rights constitutes "Communism"-a right wing accusation hurled at Obama after he partially nationalized General Motors and other institutions in response to the banking elites econmic crisis. Obama just did what he was told to do by the general consent of the corporate establishment-who viewed those re-nationalizations as a necessary short term economic evil, meant to save the investments of the elite rich, while using taxpayers money to rehabilitate the companies before they were eventually handed back to the shareholders. The BP disaster is a prime example. The corporate elite would love to re-nationalize the oil industry under governmental/fascist control. Good for business and the federal government who are fully controlled by the global elites. Re-nationalization under Socialism works when you create and fund the ideologies of Marxism and governments. Freethinker”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Monday, July 12 2010, 9:46PM
“:) @Mr 'ava Goodrant, Mullion Island Beach Holiday Resort
In truth the 'You can't educate pork' jibe was aimed at Gary not you Mr 'ava Goodrant, so I will apologise. . But I did try to explain to Gary how I react to supercilious comment. . But I am always happy to agree to disagree. . . Best Charles”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Monday, July 12 2010, 9:28PM
“:) Quote:- "Harold Wilson enacted Incomes Policy to save the UK."
You couldn't make it up! . MI5 had him under surveillance! . They suspected he was a Communist. . All these lefties aspire to grandiose life style on the State. . We've only just got rid of another lot!
Excuse me while I have a laugh!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk
.”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Monday, July 12 2010, 9:26PM
“:) Quote:- "Harold Wilson enacted Incomes Policy to save the UK."
You couldn't make it up! . MI5 had him under surveillance! . They suspected he was a Communist. . All these lefties aspire to grandiose life style on the State. . We've only just got rid of another lot!
Excuse me while I have a laugh!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk
.”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Monday, July 12 2010, 9:15PM
“:| The housing stock was not 'depleted' Justin, simply its status changed. . Half of the tenants just found themselves with assets that they owned with a mortgage, and was increasing in value and they then had to maintain themselves. Why some tenants would not take advantage of the opportunity offered to them I will never really understand. .”