Skipton and Ripon is one of the largest constituencies in England with deep and complex issues

I shook hands with a Gruffalo and a shark; met farmers, entrepreneurs and headteachers and tried to understand why people thought what they did. Although I was narrowly unsuccessful, it was a fascinating experience, and it gave me a renewed appreciation of the range of issues affecting a northern, rural constituency.

On the surface, rural Yorkshire is often considered a benign place of sleepy, natural beauty. Yet issues which are deep, complex and serious exist, and people are aware that urban-based attitudes amongst policymakers influence decision-making, and don’t always consider the needs of rural communities.

The concentration of Airbnbs and second homes in popular visitor areas is having a hollowing-out effect on many places. Younger locals are being priced out of the market and communities are becoming more isolated. The proliferation of food banks reflects a growing problem of rural poverty. Many tenant farmers work under immensely tough conditions and bureaucracy, for little financial reward.

One of the obvious influences on a rural constituency is its geography. Places viewed on a map may appear to connect, while they are actually separated by hills and rivers. The sheer distance between places and facilities highlights the need for better transport and innovation in how services are delivered and accessed. The cutting back of school transport budgets is having an impact on families and community schools whose pupil numbers are being reduced to critical levels.

Administrative boundaries don’t always fit with the realities of the way places connect. In the Skipton & Ripon constituency, a complex web of trans-border connections often leads local people to lose out in terms of provision for public transport, health and education. The need for the new North Yorkshire unitary authority to coordinate with other authorities around it was underlined to me as I spoke to people on their doorsteps.

In my day job as an architect, I’m involved in projects that help create successful enterprises and great places to live in the countryside. While the trend for remote working has seen more people move to rural locations, which is helping to break down old divisions, it is creating new tensions too. House prices have been impacted, as have public services. During the campaign, I met many people who could not access a local NHS dentist due to them closing their patient lists.

An increased awareness of the value of upland landscapes, in terms of carbon capture, flood risk management and biodiversity, is generating new opportunities. Funding for environmental projects, such as the Yorkshire Peat Partnership and Wild Ingleborough, has resulted in new jobs and generated links with tourism initiatives.

While tensions remain regarding the debate over how land is used, there is potential for these projects to boost local economic growth. Virtuous circles of mutual benefit can be built that help local people.

We need to celebrate loudly the best of what is already taking place in Yorkshire’s countryside, but we must also focus on the very real challenges that exist, often half-hidden, amidst our rural communities. Evolution and opportunity are there in abundance and we should embrace the future with vision and energy.

Malcolm Birks is Head of Design at Rural Solutions www.ruralsolutions.co.uk