Building Homes, Sustaining Communities: Why English Rural Backs The Rural Services Network
Who We Are
English Rural is a non-profit housing association that has been building and managing affordable homes for local people in rural communities since 1991. We own and manage around 1,500 homes across roughly 140 villages, mainly across the south of England. We are regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing, and we are honoured that HRH The Princess Royal serves as our Patron.
Our approach is simple but deliberate. We build with and for the local community, working alongside residents, parish councils, local landowners, and housing and planning authorities to deliver small, well-designed schemes that fit their setting. These are homes for local people, secured for the long term.
Our Credentials And Values
Our vision is that rural communities can thrive because local people live in high-quality, well-managed homes that are comfortable, safe and affordable. Our mission is to build and manage that housing and to be a strong advocate for affordable rural housing. This work is guided by six core values shared by every board member, colleague and partner.
Those values are backed by solid foundations: good governance, sound finances and value for money, trusted relationships with residents and partners, access to capital to invest, and effective risk management. Following our most recent inspection, the Regulator of Social Housing confirmed a governance grade of G1 and a financial viability grade of V1, reflecting a well-run and financially secure organisation.
Our Ambitions
We are working to eight strategic ambitions for 2024 to 2029, which range from delivering quality services and growing new homes to leading the rural housing agenda nationally, strengthening governance, investing in our people, building partnerships, maintaining financial health and acting responsibly on the environment. We also actively seek partnerships with other smaller rural housing associations, because we believe we are stronger together. Alongside building homes, we invest in research and advocacy so that rural need is heard by decision makers, working with partners such as the RSN, CPRE, ACRE and the National Housing Federation.
The Rural Housing Crisis
The case for this work is stark. Rural house prices now sit at around 8.8 times local earnings, compared with 7.6 times in urban areas. Only about 9 per cent of rural homes are classed as affordable, against 19 per cent in towns and cities. More than 300,000 households are on rural social housing waiting lists, and at current building rates it would take decades to clear that backlog. Rural homelessness, often hidden in barns and vehicles rather than on visible streets, has risen sharply since 2018.
The pressures are real, and current policy changes could make them worse. Analysis suggests that relaxing affordable housing requirements on medium-sized sites could put more than half of future rural affordable homes at risk. That is why forums like this conference matter. They keep rural communities visible when decisions are made.
Working Together
We do not pretend any single organisation can fix this. But we do believe that by building the right homes in the right places, and by making the case clearly and with evidence, we can help rural England thrive. We look forward to learning from and working with everyone at the conference.
