A new Rural Productivity Plan has been launched that introduces a number of measures to support the growth of rural living.
Among the biggest measures are plans to provide starter homes for local residents.
Growing desire for rural life
New figures show that thousands of people are moving to rural areas. The new plan will look to improve rural economies, invest in education and skills, increase wages, improve infrastructure and connectivity and simplify planning laws.
The government plan tackles:
• Starter homes: New planning rules will allow them to be built on Rural Exception Sites
• Broadband: Private sector providers will work with the Government to assess solutions to deliver broadband
• Transport: Rural stakeholders’ views will be included in the second Road Investment Strategy for 2020 to 2025
• Education: More balanced funding for rural schools and other ways to tackle underperforming colleges
George Chichester of Strutt & Parker’s Farming Department says: “The need for affordable housing for rural workers is an important issue and a necessity for those working in the farming industry. We welcome the government’s plans to provide more starter homes for local residents which should help ensure that the workforce can enjoy a good quality of life”
‘One Nation’ economy
Chancellor George Osborne says the aim of the plan is to create a ‘One Nation economy’ that uses all parts of the country.
Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss believes rural areas could be generating billions of additional income for the UK economy as well as providing thousands of jobs.
Andrew Clark, the National Farmers’ Union Director of Policy, welcomes the plan as a step in the right direction and wants it to be implemented ‘effectively and quickly’.
He says farming is at the heart of the rural economy, contributing £3.1 billion. He is calling for ‘rural proofing’ of all policies to help this figure grow.
