29 Oct 2026
Community Action Northumberland (CAN) and the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) have brought together housing providers, planners and other key stakeholders to explore innovative solutions to the shortage of affordable homes in rural Northumberland.
The collaboration builds on research commissioned by CAN in late 2024, which investigated how a lack of good-quality, affordable housing was affecting businesses in Northumberland’s rural and coastal communities.
The research, supported by funding from Defra, CAN and Newcastle University, found that housing shortages were making it increasingly difficult for local businesses to recruit and retain staff.
Some employers had developed their own solutions, including subsidising rents, offering relocation packages, arranging car-sharing schemes and even purchasing accommodation for employees.
To build on these findings, CAN and NICRE organised a ‘Housing Solutions for Rural Economies’ sprint event at Newcastle University in July 2026.
The event brought together representatives from housing associations, Northumberland County Council, Homes England and other organisations to explore practical approaches to delivering affordable rural homes.
CAN’s Chief Executive, Andy Dean, highlighted the importance of housing to local businesses and communities, while Rural Housing Enabler Vince Walsh shared examples of innovative approaches already being explored in Northumberland.
The event resulted in four proposals aimed at overcoming barriers to rural affordable housing:
- A more collaborative planning process: An informal pre-application panel bringing together planners and stakeholders to provide early advice on rural housing developments.
- A community-led housing needs toolkit: A digital resource to assess housing requirements alongside employment opportunities, economic growth and community sustainability.
- Rural housing innovation funds: Exploring three dedicated funds, inspired by initiatives in North Yorkshire, to help overcome financial barriers to affordable housing delivery.
- A rural housing one-stop-shop: Connecting housing providers, rural housing enablers and community groups to support new developments through not-for-profit partnerships.
Melanie Thompson-Glen, Head of Business and Innovation at NICRE, Newcastle University, said:
“Rural affordable housing is one of those wicked problems that have been challenging rural places for decades. In order to find practical solutions, we need to approach the challenge in a different way and look for innovative ways to get more homes into the countryside.”
The research and workshop have also provided useful insights for future housing policy.
Andrea King, Principal Planning Policy Officer at Northumberland County Council, said the work provided “useful considerations for informing the Countywide Housing Strategy and emerging new Local Plan.”
CAN and NICRE are now exploring further research into the role of estates and corporate landowners in addressing rural housing needs.
While the proposals remain at an early stage, the collaboration demonstrates the importance of bringing organisations together to develop practical solutions that support rural businesses, communities and local economies.
Find out more: Finding solutions to Northumberland’s rural housing challenges | News | Community Action Northumberland
