Responding to the report published today by the Affordable Rural Housing Commission, Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of the Home Builders Federation, says:
“The Commission Report clearly highlights the affordability crisis in rural England and the impact this is having on communities in the countryside. The report shows that between 1998 and 2005, new housing completions actually declined by 6 per cent - at a time when demand has been growing significantly. We therefore welcome recommendations to increase supply by bringing more flexibility into the planning process.
“Home builders are doing much to meet the market need for more affordable homes, developing a wide range of more affordable housing options. Home builders also recognise the need for more non-market affordable housing, particularly in rural areas, and are keen to work with local authorities to find the most effective and appropriate solutions. Rural communities will only thrive when there are a full range of methods to address the affordability problem.”
Notes for Editors
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the principal trade federation for private sector home builders and voice of the home building industry in England and Wales. The HBF’s 300 member firms account for over 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies:
Affordable Rural Housing Commission final report, 16 May 2006:
Seven of the nine organisations selected by the Government to bid for publicly-owned sites by showing that they could construct homes for £60,000 came from the private house building sector.: Read
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