Understanding the Future of Rural Affordable Housing

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As part of our work to support the provision of affordable housing in rural communities, we have been working with colleagues across the rural Thames Valley region and across England to build a better picture of the condition and future of existing rural affordable housing stock.

Much of the rural affordable housing currently in use was built between the post‑war period and the 1970s. While the need for affordable housing in rural areas has increased, in some areas the supply has declined. Homes have been sold onto the open market and not replaced locally. This trend is concerning for rural communities and presents a significant challenge for Rural Housing Enablers and Local Authorities seeking to increase housing supply to meet growing need.

To better understand what is happening and why, CCB is exploring how housing providers manage their rural housing stock and the factors that influence decisions to sell rural affordable homes.

In November 2025, Sovereign Network Group (SNG), West Berkshire’s main provider of rural affordable housing, gave a presentation to the West Berkshire Council Resources and Place Scrutiny Committee. A recording of the meeting is available to view here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/aDHDdoW76ik

Rural residents across Berkshire have shared concerns about the sale of affordable rural homes, many of which are owned by SNG. During their presentation, SNG explained their approach to stock management and the decision‑making process around property sales. This short film brings together some of the key points from that presentation and highlights the important questions it raised.

🎥 Watch the film:

To find out more about our research into the loss of rural affordable homes, please visit our project webpage:
Research into market sales of affordable rural homes | Connecting Communities in Berkshire

If you are aware of sales of affordable homes in your rural community, please let us know by completing our short survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DNFBXP7

Alternatively, you can contact our Rural Housing Enabler directly at maria.kelly@ccberks.org.uk.

Building Futures: Spotlight on Rural Housing at National Conference

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Connecting Communities in Berkshire joins national call to action for affordable rural homes

We were proud to take part in the recent Rural Housing Conference, held on 30 April 2025 at the historic Coram campus in London. Organised by English Rural and Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), the event gathered policymakers, housing professionals, and community advocates to confront the urgent and growing crisis in rural housing.

Attending on behalf of CCB was Rural Housing Enabler Maria Kelly, who joined others in championing the importance of truly affordable homes for rural communities.

The conference, titled Affordable Rural Housing: Opportunity in Changing Times, was marked by a keynote address from HRH The Princess Royal. She offered a powerful reminder that rural housing is about more than buildings:

“We aren’t just talking about houses — we’re talking about the people and communities that make our countryside live and breathe.”

The day laid bare the depth of the challenge facing rural areas:

  • The average rural house price has reached £418,400, compared to average rural earnings of just £25,600.
  • Only 10% of new affordable homes are built in rural areas, though these areas are home to 18% of the population.
  • Investing in rural housing could unlock as much as £87 billion a year in productivity, while strengthening local economies and jobs.

Speakers from across sectors—including planning, faith groups, and economic development—urged a coordinated national effort. Solutions discussed included planning reform, incentives for landowners, and sustained funding for Rural Housing Enabler programmes.

Photo by Matt Pereira Photography / English Rural

Maria said: “What really struck me was how deeply rural housing is tied to community life. Affordable homes mean local families can stay close, young people can build their futures, and essential services can survive. There’s a real opportunity now to make lasting change, and I left the conference energised and hopeful about what we can achieve together.”

Dame Fiona Reynolds captured the overarching theme of the day:

“This is about building more than homes. It’s about building futures.”

Exciting News for Rural Communities in Berkshire

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We recently learned that we have been successful in our application to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for funding to provide a rural housing-enabling service to support Parish Councils in Berkshire to address their local affordable housing needs.

We are currently in the process of recruiting for this post and will be able to share more news about this shortly. This type of support has not been available since 2017 when funding for our previous project dropped to unsustainable levels. Since that time the housing situation for many rural communities has worsened, with increased house prices and a drop in the availability of rented homes. We are really keen to we use this funding to make a real impact on the provision of high-quality affordable homes for those living in our villages.

Through this service, CCB will be able to work with rural parishes in Berkshire to: 

  • Undertake a housing needs survey to establish evidence for the numbers and tenures of homes that might be needed.  We have budget available to carry out some surveys at no cost where a parish wants to explore rural affordable housing options.
  • Help with site identification and site appraisals to find a potential rural exception site in the parish.
  • Help parishes decide on the best delivery route to meet their ambitions: for example through a community-led approach whereby the community takes the lead in designing and commissioning the project, or through transferring the site to a housing association to develop in consultation with the community. We have built strong links with local housing associations who are committed to rural affordable housing and working collaboratively with communities.
  • Liaise with the local housing and planning authority to help the scheme achieve a planning permission. We are working closely with the Berkshire housing and planning authorities to deliver this programme.
  •  Coordinate the delivery of the site, including community engagement, funding, partnership agreements, and letting and sales arrangements.

This initial funding is only available until March 2025. Whilst we hope that the funding will be extended, we do want to use this period to make significant progress in the identification of suitable sites that can lead to new affordable homes for people priced out of local housing.

If you would like to register you interest in this project please contact Tim.Parry@ccberks.org.uk