Just 4 per cent, or one in 25, think that May’s general election will have a positive effect on people living in rural communities; almost half of the 2,110 respondents thought that the election would have no impact.

The survey also reinforced recent government and industry research suggesting a dearth of affordable homes in rural areas and that, on average, rural housing costs 11 times annual rural wages [2]. 59 per cent of respondents who lived in rural areas stated that there was a lack of affordable homes in their communities. Furthermore, two thirds of rural-based respondents, and two thirds of all respondents, did not think that politicians care about the issue of providing affordable housing in rural areas.

The survey sought the public’s views on solutions for increasing rural affordable housing. The most popular option was an increase in public funding, while more than a quarter of respondents - 28 per cent - also saw greater community engagement as central to any significant solution.

The survey was commissioned by CPRE and Hastoe to support an event in parliament on Tuesday 13 January to launch a partnership between the two organisations. This event will bring together spokespeople from major parties to discuss methods to increase affordable housing in rural areas. The speakers are: Stephen Williams MP (Lib Dem), parliamentary under-secretary of state for communities and local government; Emma Reynolds MP (Labour), shadow housing minister; Neil Parish MP (Conservative); and Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party.

Shaun Spiers, chief executive at the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), comments:

“Housing is increasingly unaffordable in many English villages, and building lots of market housing won’t change that. We need well-planned, high quality social housing that fits in with the village and provides homes for those living or working in the community.

“Whoever is elected in May must do much more to subsidise social housing and ensure that appropriate sites are available. The alternative is to see villages become exclusively the preserve of well-off home workers, rather than living, mixed communities.”

Sue Chalkley, chief executive at the Hastoe Group, comments:

“These results underline the messages that we are getting from rural communities all the time. They recognise the link between the lack of affordable homes, the difficulty their children are having in finding an affordable home and the social and economic viability of their village. It is vital for developers to work in partnership with local people to build beautiful and energy efficient homes that are a legacy to the community and a source of pride.

“CPRE and Hastoe are keen to do what we can to ensure rural communities have the right kind of homes to protect their future and that of generations to come.”

Find out about CPRE Sussex's hustings event on 21 March, Countryside... or Concrete

Photo of new houses in West Sussex © George Redgrave