Housing group backs rural housing week

Wednesday 1st February 2012

Incommunities has pledged its support for a northern campaign to tackle the shortage of affordable rural housing for local people and highlight their importance in keeping communities alive.

Rural Housing Week takes place between 27th January and 3rd February and is being coordinated by the National Housing Federation which represents 1,200 not for profit independent housing associations.

Over the last five years, Bradford-based Incommunities has built over 50 affordable homes for rent and shared ownership in rural and semi rural locations. The housing group has also invested in excess of £10 million in modernising hundreds of homes in Wharfedale and the Worth Valley.

These have included:-

• The £2.7 million conversion of The Lawn - an historic manor house in Burley-in-Wharfedale - into 29 apartments for rent and shared ownership sale
• The construction of four homes at Norwood Court in Burley-in-Wharfedale
• The development of 22 two-bedroom homes at Menston Hall
• A £2.1 million modernisation programme covering 338 village homes at Harden, Haworth, Oakworth, Silsden and Wilsden.
• Improvements to over 500 homes in Wharfedale including Ilkley, Addingham, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Menston

This month, Incommunities submitted plans to build 25 three-bedroom houses on the site of a former sheltered scheme in Ilkley. Five of the homes would be offered for rent with funding from the Homes and Communities Agency and 20 for outright sale.

Each property would come with fitted kitchens and bathrooms, high efficiency central heating systems, gardens and driveway. Consultations with local residents into the plans took place in October 2011.

Geraldine Howley, Incommunities Group Chief Executive said: "The Bradford District includes vibrant towns and village sized communities in rural and semi rural settings, with two-thirds of the district green open space.

"We are proud of our track record of delivering much needed high quality affordable homes for local people and bringing back into use redundant sites. Improving hundreds of village properties to a level in excess of the Government's Decent Homes Standard has also been a key part of our modernisation programme.

"Incommunities fully support Rural Housing Week and the initiative taken by the National Housing Federation to encourage sustainable housing and keep villages and communities alive."

Monica Burns, Lead Manager North-East for the National Housing Federation, said: "Rural communities are under threat due to a lack of affordable housing. Families who have lived in the countryside for generations are being priced out, they need new affordable homes or they will have no choice but to move away to urban areas.

"Incommunities is working hard to bridge the gap and provide affordable housing to keep rural villages alive, but they urgently need additional Government funding to continue building new developments."

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