The crisis facing local families looking for affordable housing in rural areas has been exposed in research published by WP Housing, the Gloucestershire-based affordable housing asset and cost management consultancy.

Research from WP Housing has established that demand for affordable housing in rural areas outstrips supply. The new research highlights the challenges facing rural communities and that finding ways to overcome shortages is hindered by outdated planning regulations.

Luke Beard from WP Housing , said: “The affordable housing sector is evolving through a period of change and faces many challenges to improve efficiency.  Providers face growing pressure on funding combined with increased competition from housebuilders and developers for limited. They are also under greater pressure to deliver zero carbon standards and manage their assets more efficiently and sustainably. Once all these are overcome they then face a planning system that is just not flexible enough to allow local people to stay in local areas.”

WP Housing is currently supporting the design and construction of more than 1,100 new affordable homes with a contract value above £200m.

Current projects span modular, timber frame and traditional forms of construction. Our work includes land-led development opportunities where we are involved from land bids through to Making Good of Defects utilising JCT D&B Contracts and Development Agreement. Our programme of work also includes a number of Section 106 affordable housing procured schemes.

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