Midlands Rural Housing backs affordable homes for local people pledge
Craig Felts, Managing Director, has signed up to the pledge which was launched in Parliament in March.
The pledge is a commitment to working closely with local people to provide high quality homes in rural areas that will benefit the whole community.
With a house in the countryside now costing on average over £40,000 more than a house in an urban area, despite lower average wages, many lower income earners and young people are being priced out of their home villages.
"We need more affordable homes in rural communities if we are to stop rural England becoming the preserve of the wealthy and the isolated elderly," explains Craig Felts. "But we need to make sure these homes are developed sensitively, to a high standard and in partnership with the community."
With localism high on the Government’s agenda and changes to planning laws, people have more of a chance than ever to shape the future of their own communities.
Felts adds: "It is important for people to feel they are working with organisations who are also committed to that aim and can genuinely understand and respond to the needs of the community. Where a rural community works with an organisation like us, who have signed up to this pledge, they can be confident that involving people in the planning and decision making process will be a primary consideration, the houses will be well designed, and local people will be the beneficiaries of any homes provided."
