'Rural housing crisis is not about buildings, it's about people' says Farron at affordable housing event

"RURAL HOUSING CRISIS IS NOT ABOUT BUILDINGS, IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE" SAYS FARRON AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING EVENT

Speaking in Parliament to the National Housing Federation, South Lakes MP Tim Farron applauded the Save Our Villages campaign as it draws to a close but warned that the issue of affordable rural housing is still live.

With rural communities facing an ever increasing struggle for survival, the National Housing Federation is calling for a greater understanding of the need for housing in rural areas. As part of this drive, the Save our Villages campaign was launched in August 2009 and gained the official backing of over 46 rural councils, as well as hundreds of MPs and local councillors.

Yet despite the successes of the campaign, with at least 300,000 households still on housing waiting lists in rural England, the Federation are keeping the pressure up. And the need is still growing - demand has doubled in some areas in just the last five years and rural services continue to dwindle. The National Housing Federation are calling for rural councils to publish action plans to meet the housing need in their areas for this generation and the next.

Commenting, Tim said: "Housing is fundamentally about people and it's the people in rural areas that suffer the most. It's appalling that in significant parts of the UK, you need a salary of at least £100,000 to stay in the village you grew up in. And it's not just a few people - the problem is real, and it's widespread.

"The work that the National Housing Federation does is incredibly important and I want to thank them for their commitment to our rural communities - I know they have been a real support and resource in my own constituency, in South Lakes, and I am confident that by keeping up the pressure we can make sure that rural people get the houses and the services they need."