Our developments provide a mixture of homes for rent and for shared-ownership, with most schemes consisting of 6-10 properties. We currently build around 100 new homes annually. The majority of our homes are 2 or 3 bed houses, although some flats and bungalows have been provided where a need has been identified. Our shared-ownership homes remain uniquely affordable, because we do not charge rent on the equity we retain.

Restrictions also ensure that our properties can never be lost to the open market, in that our tenants do not have the Right to Buy nor the Right to Acquire and our shared owners can never own more than 80% of the equity.

The developments are managed through Service Level Agreement, which is held by Housing Association. This ensures residents are supported by a network of Housing Managers. Our service is assessed by the Housing Corporation and residents.

Click here to view a full list of our where we have built and examples of what are developments look like.

Sustaining rural communities

Why do we need affordable housing developments?

The lack of affordable homes in small villages unbalances local communities. For many years we have observed the changing character of villages, so many of which have become populated by commuters and second home owners. Whilst this may bring money to the local economy, it also pushes up local property prices beyond the means of local people. As a result many are forced to move away, leaving a network of family and friends behind.

We believe that villages should have a balance of income earners and age groups. An affordable housing development is an essential ingredient in every village if we wish to see sustainable rural communities which can be enjoyed by all.

Affordable housing developments help rural communities by...

How does ENGLISH RURAL tackle this problem?

Quantifying the problem
The first step in any project is to assess the needs of the local community. In this context we work with independent specialists to carry out housing need surveys, in partnership with parish councils. This approach provides an objective assessment of the scale of local housing need.

Finding a site
If a housing need is proven in a particular village, the next step is to find a suitable site. Historically we have used rural exceptions sites (parcels of land outside village development boundries that would not normally achieve planning permission) as a way of securing affordable land for our projects. However, other sources of land are also considered, such as surplus areas owned by local authorities, parish councils, utility companies or religious bodies. We also work with developers, who under planning law have to provide quotas of affordable housing on certain open market sites.

Planning with the community
Once a suitable site has been identified, preliminary plans are drawn up and careful consideration is given to the type and style of housing. Community consultation is essential throughout the process and public events are held to display proposals to local residents. All comments are welcomed and considered before a planning application is submitted. Close consultation with Planning Officers throughout the process is also a key feature of our operation.

Securing funding
In order to provide affordable housing, an injection of Social Housing Grant is required and the main source of this important funding is the Housing Corporation, the government's housing agency. We are fortunate to have also had this funding provided by numerous local authorities.

We are happy to talk to Parish Council's, developers and other organisations and individuals about affordable housing projects. To discuss your ideas with us and see how we could help you, please contact us on 0207 820 7930 or email us at info@englishrural.org.uk and we will put you in touch with your nearest representative.