Friday 21 February 2014
Pittville Pumproom,
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire,
GL52 3JE

(The Conference Programme can be downloaded here)

Introduction

Marking the beginning of the new partnership between the Rural Housing Alliance and the Rural Services Network, this national event formed the launchpad for a renewed focus on rural housing across England with a keynote speech from HRH The Princess Royal.
The morning session was chaired by Sir Peter Dixon, President of English Rural Housing Association and the afternoon was chaired by Councillor Cecilia Motley, Chair of the Rural Services Network.
A diverse range of presentations were given reflecting a series of key issues facing rural housing.

Presentations:

“A view from Rural Housing Associations in England”

– Peter Moore, Chief Executive Cornwall Rural Housing Association and Chair of the Rural Housing Alliance
(For the slides of this presentation - click here)

“An ageing population: the challenge for rural housing”

– Gavin Smart, Director of Policy & Practice, Chartered Institute of Housing
(For the slides of this presentation - click here)

“Hot House Planning: Looking to the future”

– Gill Payne, Director of Policy & External Affairs, National Housing Federation
(For the slides of this presentation - click here)

“Tackling the Housing Crisis in England”

– Danielle Troop, Country Land & Business Association
(For the slides of this presentation - click here)

“The funding climate: financing rural affordable homes”

– Philip Porter, Director, BWNL
(For the slides of this presentation - click here)

“Energy efficient development and rural fuel poverty”

– Sue Chalkley, Chief Executive, Hastoe Housing Association
(For the slides of this presentation - click here)

Conclusions and Feedback

Feedback from the event was excellent and a wide range of media coverage was achieved.  The Rural Housing Alliance will discuss how to build on the event at its next meeting.  Activities already agreed are a focus on social impact assessment for rural Housing Associations and a refreshed Rural Affordable Housing practical guide for Parish Councils.  The Rural Services Network will also explore how to highlight the contribution made to the fuel poverty agenda by innovative energy efficient housing design in rural areas and will continue its partnership with the Chartered Institute of Housing with a particular focus on issues related to the ageing population.

In the Media

The event was widely reported in both national and regional press. Below are links to some of these stories:

Daily Telegraph - Princess Royal: Villages must find room for 240,000 new homes
(This made the front page of the main paper)

Daily Mail - Build more affordable homes in villages to beat housing crisis, says Princess Anne

Express - Build more houses in villages says Princess Royal

ITV News - Princess Anne 'Villages must find room for new homes'

Yahoo News - Anne backed over rural housing bid