A quarterly bulletin facilitated by your membership of the Rural Services Network and produced in partnership with the Rural Housing Alliance, highlighting a selection of current rural housing issues and opportunities

Unveiling hidden realities: New Images of Rural Homelessness

The Centre for Homelessness Impact (CHI) and the Rural Homelessness Counts Coalition, chaired by English Rural Housing Association, have partnered to create a collection of free, non-stigmatising images of people who are experiencing homelessness in rural areas to help challenge negative stereotypes.

When people think of homelessness, they often think of images of people in cities or urban areas. But that’s largely because rural homelessness can remain hidden, and those experiencing homelessness, isolated. From woodland camps to sofa surfing - rural homelessness can take many forms.

CHI and the Coalition spoke with people who had experienced homelessness in different locations and different forms across the country. People spoke of the challenges of rural homelessness, from inefficient transport links, to a lack of social housing.

The unique experiences reflected in this new collection show the real human faces of homelessness, helping to change the narrative and build empathy.

Rory Weal, Strategic Policy lead at English Rural, and Co-Chair of the Rural Homelessness Counts, coalition said:

"Often our perceptions of homelessness are based less on evidence, than on images and stories. These perceptions lead us to associate homelessness just with cities. But we know far too many people in rural communities are facing the injustice of having no place to call home. That's why we have been pleased to work on this collection, to demonstrate through images and stories that homelessness can happen anywhere. Homelessness is everyone's business, and tackling it requires action across all of our communities."

You can read more and take a look at the image library at this link.

Local residents add voices to supported housing campaign

Rural housing association Connexus recently supported the National Housing Federation's Starts at Home campaign by asking customers to share their experiences of supported housing. Adding their voices to the campaign were young people living at Ludlow Foyer in Shropshire, which provides accommodation and support for 18–25-year-olds. Local residents showed local MP Stuart Anderson around their homes, explaining first hand what life was like at the scheme. 

In the last 12 months, 34 young people have been supported by the foyer and given opportunities to learn new skills, either by taking up formal education courses or getting involved in centre-led projects. The training is individually tailored to each resident to enable them to become more independent, so that eventually they can take on a tenancy of their own.  

Research by the National Housing Federation found that if it were not for supported housing services, 41,000 more people would be homeless nationally. In total more that half a million people are supported to live independently by various organisations, including housing associations.  

Domonique Pugh, Deputy Younger Persons Services Manager, said: "Support services like the one at Ludlow Foyer provide a long-term safe, affordable place to live and opportunities to learn vital skills. We were delighted to support the National Housing Federation's campaign which calls for longer term government plans for funding when it comes to supported housing.

"The residents really enjoyed meeting Stuart, and showing him the work going on at the foyer. It's vital that young people are able to positively engage with politicians like this, and everyone involved got a lot from it."

For more information, contact [email protected]

Broadacres retrofit programme passes halfway stage

Broadacres is over halfway through a £5.3 million programme to improve the energy efficiency of hundreds of its older homes.

The installation of renewable energy technology such as solar panels and air-source heat pumps form part of the retrofit programme which will dramatically improve the energy efficiency of 400 homes across North Yorkshire, including Easingwold, Bedale, Northallerton and Ripon, and smaller rural communities such as Great Broughton, Osmotherley and Helperby.

Work has already been completed on 252 homes, which includes:

• solar panels on 252 homes
• air-source heat pumps in 22 homes
• loft insulation in 98 homes
• underfloor insulation in 10 homes
• smart air bricks in 10 homes

Among those who recently had work completed on his home in Helperby, near Easingwold, is Ken Westerman. Mr Westerman’s home, which was built in the 1960s, has had solar panels fitted and an air-source heat pump installed, taking the property from an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D to B. Mr Westerman says he is already noticing the benefits. “I am building up a credit because the solar panels help to heat the water and contribute towards the running of the heat pump, so this is saving electricity,” he explained.

“And through the tariff I have with my electricity supplier, any electricity I don’t use will be fed back into the National Grid and I will get a rebate for this as well.”

Mr Westerman has also praised Broadacres and contractor PH Jones for the process involved in retrofitting his home. “From the first meeting in the village hall when they explained what they were going to do, through to the installation process itself, the communication was absolutely brilliant,” he says.

Warm Homes Social Housing Fund wave 3 open

The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) Wave 3 is now open for applications. It will close at midday on 25 November 2024.

The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund will upgrade a significant amount of the social housing stock currently below Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C up to that standard. It will support the installation of energy performance measures in social homes in England, and help:

• deliver warm, energy efficient homes
• reduce carbon emissions
• tackle fuel poverty
• support green jobs
• develop the retrofit sector
• improve the comfort, health and well-being of social housing tenants

The Fund is open for applications to local authorities and social housing landlords. All the details are at this link.

Historic almshouse embraces new technology to achieve major energy efficiencies

Derbyshire Dales MP John Whitby cut the ribbon recently to celebrate a major refurbishment after 440 years for Wirksworth’s original Almshouse.

Last year the the Anthony Gell and Anthony Bunting Almshouse Charity was awarded a grant from Derbyshire Dales District Council not only to refurbish the property, but to achieve a real step change in the energy conservation of the building.

The work has been so successful that the CO2 emissions in each of the four flats has fallen from 5.5 tonnes per year to 0.5 tonnes per year, creating affordable housing fit for purpose for many more years to come.

In 1584, Anthony Gell of Hopton Hall, near Wirksworth, stipulated in his Will that his executor and brother Thomas Gell should “within a year and a half of my death bestow of the making and building of one Almshouse in the side of the Hannage near the new bridge the sum of £60”.

A landmark in Wirksworth down the centuries that followed, the Almshouse, despite some upgrade, had deteriorated significantly with age over the past 60 years.

Improving the fabric of the building presented a major challenge given that it is Grade 2 listed. Reducing the residents’ fuel bills and improving the quality of their accommodation was also an important consideration. To achieve this the very latest of technologies were employed in a sympathetic way.

An air source heat pump has been installed to heat the flats, via both underfloor heating and radiators, ensuring that the temperature in the flats is maintained at 21 degrees. This has been made possible by stripping all plasterwork back to brick and applying the latest technology in insulating plaster material. In addition, a full ventilation and heat extraction system and double-glazed windows have been installed to ensure a steady internal temperature is achieved.

Nigel Johns, chair, the Anthony Gell and Anthony Bunting Almshouse Charity, said: “This project has demonstrated that, with careful planning, an historic building can be refurbished in a way that delivers a considerable improvement in its energy efficiency, whilst not compromising the historic fabric of the building.

On behalf of the District Council, Director of Housing Rob Cogings said: “The Council is pleased to have worked in partnership with the Almshouse Charity to secure the long-term future of the four flats and significantly improve the energy efficiency of the homes. The Energy Performance Certificate for the flats has improved from a poor F rating to D.

“This is one of a number of schemes financed by the Council to support small community-based housing providers deliver much need homes for rent. It is great to see these historic homes given a new lease of life.”

Six affordable homes saved from market sale in Devon

Hastoe Housing Association has stepped in to save six new, high-quality, rural affordable homes from market sale. The homes built by Stevens Homes Ltd are part of a larger development intended for market sale.

Although the six homes had been earmarked for affordable housing at the planning stage, the original housing association that was going to take on the homes under a Section 106 agreement was not able to proceed due to market conditions.

Hastoe stepped in to save the homes from market sale and will now be able to offer the local community, in the rural village of Sheepwash in Devon, 4 much needed homes for social rent and 2 for shared ownership.

Ulrike Maccariello, Development Director at Hastoe, said: “Rural affordable housing allows local people to stay in their communities, where they grew up and can be close to family and friends. All too often local people are priced out of rural areas that are seen as highly-desirable places to live. Hastoe is thrilled to be able to ensure these homes will be lived in by local people who are in real need of housing in the area.”

You can read more about the scheme at this link.

Pioneering Affordable Rural Housing Scheme opens in Kent

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Patron of English Rural Housing Association, officially opened Carpenter’s Yard in Shepherdswell in September – a groundbreaking development showing how community action can address the critical under-provision of affordable rural housing.

The scheme, delivered through Kent’s first Community Land Trust (CLT), marks a significant milestone in addressing rural housing needs in a county where average house prices are now 10 times average incomes.

Carpenter’s Yard, comprising 13 new homes including 10 affordable properties, is the result of a unique partnership between English Rural, Shepherdswell with Coldred Community Land Trust, Dover District Council and the Church Commissioners for England, who provided the land. The development includes a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and two and three-bedroom houses, all designed to meet local housing needs.

Three open-market bungalows have also been built to generate income that has been used to help fund the affordable homes and provide options for older residents looking to downsize. Some grant funding has also been provided by the governments affordable housing agency Homes England, with the remaining finance secured and invested by English Rural.

Maria, a resident of Carpenter’s Yard, reflected on the new development: “After years of struggling with rising private rents, this home has given us security and peace of mind. The financial stability from our long-term tenancy agreement is an enormous relief. It’s not just about having a roof over our heads; it’s about being able to stay in the community we love and contribute to village life.”

You can read more about the scheme here.

New Somerset homes almost complete – batteries included!

Willow Tree Housing Partnership is nearing completion on a scheme of 5 affordable homes, comprising 4 affordable rent and 1 shared ownership, in the village of Creech St Michael, Somerset.

A mix of 2 and 3 bed properties, the scheme provides much needed affordable homes in the local area, in close proximity to Taunton and Junction 25 of the M5.  These high quality homes incorporate solar PV, Air Source Heat Pumps and EV charging points.  Willow Tree has also opted to add battery storage to help reduce running costs for future occupiers.

Works commenced on site in Autumn 2023 and the homes are due to be handed over in November 2024.  WTHP is committed to providing safe and comfortable affordable homes to people who are not in a position to access the housing market, helping them to remain living in areas that may otherwise be unaffordable for them.  These homes will play an important part in this.

Boosting affordable homes through Rural Housing Enablers in the East Midlands

Midlands Rural Housing’s consultancy team are supporting three ACRE organisations (Action with Communities in Rural England) to deliver their rural enabling work. This is part of the £2.5million funding provided by DEFRA to help deliver their Unleashing Rural Opportunity Strategy across England.

In recognition of Midlands Rural Housing’s expertise, Rural Action Derbyshire,  Northamptonshire ACRE, and the Rural Community Council (Leicestershire & Rutland) employed Midlands Rural Housing’s consultancy service earlier this year to help shape their bids for a share of the DEFRA funds.

Each organisation was successfully awarded funding and have continued to employ Midlands Rural Housing to help deliver enabling work to bring forward small-scale developments in their rural communities.

In Leicestershire and Rutland, the project has helped give a new lease of life to potential schemes that Midlands Rural had previously started enabling work on, but which had stalled due to lack of funding.

In Northamptonshire, Midlands Rural are leading on rural enabling work in several communities, carrying out Housing Needs Surveys and working with parish councils to identify potential sites for rural housing schemes.

And in Derbyshire, Midlands Rural are supporting Rural Action Derbyshire with events to raise awareness in rural communities about how rural housing enablers can support them to get affordable homes built in their villages.

Philippa McKenna, Project Delivery Manager at Midlands Rural said:

“We’re so pleased to be supporting these organisations to upscale their rural affordable housing work. This essential funding from Defra has really helped to unlock a fantastic opportunity to widen the existing network of Rural Housing Enablers, and to create partnerships that will hopefully become long standing ones. 

Kevin Butcher, Executive Director of the RCC for Leicestershire and Rutland said:

“It was really important that we secured this investment in local rural housing delivery.  We now need local communities, parish councils and housing developers to step up and help us deliver some local homes for local people.”

If you’d like more information, please contact Philippa McKenna at [email protected]

Reflections on the Inaugural Housing Community Summit: A New Dawn for Social Housing?

David Barrowcliff of English Rural Housing Association writes:

“The first-ever Housing Community Summit, a collaborative effort by the National Housing Federation and the Chartered Institute of Housing, convened in Liverpool, bringing together the UK’s social housing sector. This landmark event couldn’t have been more timely, coming just two months after Labour’s landslide victory in the general election. The summit offered a unique platform for sector leaders to grapple with the implications of this seismic political shift and to chart a course for the future of social housing in Britain.”

David concludes: “As the summit progressed, there was a palpable sense of purpose and determination among attendees. The message was clear: this is a pivotal moment for the social housing sector, and it’s incumbent upon all stakeholders to rise to the occasion.”

And what of rural communities? David writes: “While the Housing Community Summit covered a broad range of topics, one area that received less attention was the specific challenges faced by rural communities. This oversight raises important questions about how the new political landscape and policy shifts will impact social housing in rural areas.

“As the sector moves forward with renewed energy and purpose, it’s crucial to ensure that rural housing needs are not overlooked. How will the new mandatory housing targets affect rural local authorities? Will the revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework adequately address the specific needs of rural communities? Can the sector innovate to find solutions that work in both urban and rural contexts?

“The challenge ahead is to translate the momentum generated by the Housing Community Summit into action that reaches every corner of the country, ensuring that the promise of safe, affordable, and high-quality homes is fulfilled for all, regardless of postcode.”

You can read David’s full reflections on the summit at this link.

Scheme of over 80 affordable homes under construction in rural Yorkshire

A new affordable housing development is beginning to take shape in Aiskew, near Bedale, North Yorkshire.

Broadacres is working in partnership with top 10 UK homebuilder Keepmoat to build 88 homes in the village, with a mixture of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes.

All the homes will be affordable, with 49 for rent and 39 for shared ownership, the latter helping people to get a foot on the property ladder without having to get large mortgages.

The scheme was given the go-ahead by North Yorkshire Council in 2023 and meets the authority’s objective of increasing the number of two and three-bedroom homes in the area to improve options for smaller families and couples and allow older people to downsize.

All 88 homes will be heated by renewable energy air-source heat pumps and have other energy saving features, such as triple glazed windows and enhanced levels of insulation to make them net zero ready.

People living in Aiskew, and surrounding areas will be given priority when the homes are completed and this forms part of Broadacres’ strategy of ensuring its rural communities remain sustainable for future generations.

Rural housing design guide – Building Tomorrow’s Rural Communities

Eelier in the summer, English Rural Housing Association, in collaboration with a panel of rural experts and advocates, launched a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming the perception of affordable rural housing. The publication, titled 'A Design Guide: Building Tomorrow's Rural Communities', features a compelling Foreword by HRH The Princess Royal, underlining the significance of this pioneering work in addressing the rural housing crisis and promoting sustainable, beautiful, and affordable homes in the countryside.

The guide is divided into five main sections: the future of rural communities; the importance of well-designed homes; the village landscape; designing with tradition; and building towards tomorrow. Alongside HRH The Princess Royal's Foreword, it features expert contributions from Martin Collett, Jo Lavis, Matthew Rice and other respected rural advocates.

The guide includes a practical toolkit for villages looking to inform the design of new homes in their community. This toolkit is designed to empower local communities to take an active role in shaping the future of their built environment.

You can read more at this link.

New Mayor discusses rural affordable housing needs with partnership of 23 Housing Associations

The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, visited Broadacres housing association to talk with leaders from the region’s housing sector as part of the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership. This group ensures the voice of our rural areas is heard.

A total of 23 housing associations make up the partnership and work together to deliver affordable homes across the region.

David said: “A big thank you to the team at Broadacres for providing an insight into their work bringing affordable housing to rural and coastal communities. It was a really informative visit. I believe providing affordable homes is essential to keeping a skilled and experienced workforce within York and North Yorkshire, not least in our many rural areas and along our coast.

“Investing in housing helps economic growth, providing the foundation for opportunity. It’s good to see Broadacres is committed not only to understanding what our future housing needs are as a region, but also to ensuring those needs are met.”

The partnership will work with the region’s Mayor and combined and local authorities to deliver the high quality, low carbon, affordable homes the region needs. The partnership is focusing on three key areas: building the right homes in the right place, the drive to net zero and boosting jobs and the local economy.

Rural Life Monitor published at start of Rural Housing Week

This 2024 report, published by the National Housing Federation (NHF) explores how the housing crisis affects rural communities, services and business. It examines the issues today and the ways in which housing associations in rural areas are working to address these.

NHF write: “Affordable housing is essential to the prosperity of rural communities. It means that people in rural areas have the option to live and work where they grew up, close to their families. Unfortunately, this is increasingly difficult for many due to high house prices and private rents. It also means that the people needed to work in and support local businesses and services are too often having to move away, leaving key amenities in rural areas struggling.

You can access the Monitor at this link.

Grant programmes open for veterans’ housing

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund has grants available through its Major Capital Grants Programme.

This programme will award grants of between £75,000 and £500,000 towards projects that support significant refurbishment, including extensions and new builds, of rental accommodation that will offer high quality support for Veterans with a housing need.

A separate Refurbishment Grants Programme is also available. This programme will award grants of up to £75,000 towards similar projects.

The next deadline for expressions of interest to the Major Capital Grants programme is 8 January 2025. For the Refurbishment Grants Programme, the deadline is 3 January 2025.

Major Capital Grants Programme : Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust