Council Housing Blueprint Could Offer Rural Lifeline

A new report by Policy Exchange has called on the Government to commit to building 100,000 high-quality council homes annually—and its recommendations could have significant implications for rural areas.

The report, Building Beautiful Council Houses, outlines a 35-point design blueprint to ensure that new social housing is not only affordable, but also attractive, well-integrated into communities, and built to last. It challenges the misconception that quality design is too expensive and urges Government to back local authorities with greater funding and planning powers.

With rural communities facing acute housing shortages—often made worse by high second home ownership, ageing populations, and a lack of small, affordable developments—many of the report’s proposals are directly relevant. These include using underutilised public land, providing incentives for design excellence, and ensuring local councils can access capital funding tied to clear placemaking goals.

As rural authorities struggle to meet housing need, the emphasis on small-scale, design-led development may resonate particularly strongly in countryside communities. The report also recommends protecting new council homes from immediate sale under Right to Buy—something that could help preserve vital affordable housing stock in villages and market towns.

While the report is national in scope, it offers timely food for thought on how a new era of council housebuilding could support both urban and rural regeneration—if rural needs are explicitly considered in policy rollout.

Read the full report here

Interested in the future of affordable rural housing? Join us at the Rural Housing and Planning session on Tuesday 16 September at the National Rural Conference 2025, where we'll explore the opportunities and barriers to delivering the homes rural communities need. Bookings now open for eligible RSN members.