Architect Ric Blenkharn on combatting the housing crisis for young people born and bred in rural areas where prices have shot up

The downside of this, is the dire lack of housing for local people, particularly the younger generation who can no longer to afford a home in their origin of birth. In turn, this creates unbalanced communities, leading to lack of public facilities, falling numbers in schools leading to closures and diminishing public transport.

Coupled to a real lack of house building, this has clearly created something of a housing crisis across the country, with little sign of improvement. The Centre for Cities in a recent publication notes, “Across England, the average house costs more than ten times the average salary, vacancy rates are below one per cent, and space per person for private renters has dropped substantially in recent decades. Compared to the average European country, Britain today has a backlog of 4.3 million homes that are missing from the national housing market as they were never built.

"This housing deficit would take at least half a century to fill even if the Government’s current target to build 300,000 homes a year is reached. Tackling the problem sooner would require 442,000 homes per year over the next 25 years or 654,000 per year over the next decade in England alone.”

Clearly then we need to find solutions to this as a matter of some urgency. We need to stand aside from political infighting, and work together constructively to ensure there is adequate housing provision for both current and future generations. We have to accept that new homes will need to be built in areas where many would prefer not to see housebuilding.

This will involve building on vacant greenfield sites, and it will rely on the philanthropy of landowners to encourage development and the sale of land assets at a moderate price. I have been involved in the provision of a number of affordable homes in rural areas, where landowners have accepted modest prices for land, well in excess of agricultural value, but significantly less than an open market value of housing land.

In doing so, this has enabled much needed local housing through the avenue of Exceptions Sites, where planning permission would not ordinarily be granted. Such consent requires there to be an identified local demand gained through Parish Councils and Rural Housing Enablers.

It demonstrates that local councils can play an active role in gaining such consent. I have witnessed the community benefit of such schemes, affording young families a home in their place of birth and in doing so, contributing to the local community as a whole.

I would hope that such planning policies can be expanded in villages, towns and cities to provide housing for those in real need at affordable prices. It will demand putting aside prejudice, to work constructively alongside councils and housing providers.

As with the cost of living crisis and the effects of global warming, positive active engagement is required at all levels to ensure successive generations can truly have a place they can call home in perpetuity.

Ric Blenkharn, Bramhall, Blenkharn, Leonard Architects, Malton. www.brable.com