Rics 'calls for affordable rural housing'

08-Feb-2007

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has called for action to prevent rural areas from becoming unaffordable to local residents, which may affect first time buyers.

According to Rics, unless government action facilitates the development of additional housing, rural areas could become the sole preserve of the wealthy, at the expense of those who cannot afford rising house prices, such as first time buyers.

"The countryside and rural areas also need to adapt to changing circumstances and this may include building more homes," said Brian Berry, head of public policy at Rics.

"The countryside is not a museum," he added.

To find out about all the different ways of financing a first home, see our section ‘Affording Your First Home’.

Although the supply of housing has fallen by four per cent between 2002-05, between 2000-05, there has been a 25 per cent increase in the numbers migrating from urban to rural locations, according to Rics.

Rics has a membership base of 120,000 members in 120 countries and publishes 500 policy and research papers annually.

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