Housing Corporation News Release

Corporation ensures rural housing remains top of agenda

1 October 2008     Ref: 71/08  

Highlighting the crucial need to address issues surrounding rural housing, investment into rural housing is at the top of the agenda at a major Housing Corporation conference taking place on Wednesday 8 October at the London Hilton Metropole, Edgware Road.

The Corporation's Investing in Rural Futures Conference (full schedule at the bottom of the page) will provide an essential insight into the future direction and opportunities for affordable housing in rural areas.

Speakers at the conference will include: the Right Honourable Caroline Flint, Minister for Housing; Sir Bob Kerslake, Chief Executive Designate of the Homes and Communities Agency; and following the launch of his report calling for a fundamental shake-up of planning and affordable housing policy in rural areas, Matthew Taylor MP.

Candy Atherton, Housing Corporation Board Member and Chair of the Rural Housing Advisory Group, said, "With 700,000 people now on waiting lists for affordable homes in rural England, providing affordable housing that meets the needs of England's broad spectrum of rural settlements is an essential priority for the Government as well as housing providers.  The Housing Corporation has committed to increasing the number of homes we fund in rural areas through our 2008-11 investment programme. 

"This conference provides a great opportunity  for both rural partners and policy makers to be at the forefront of this agenda, and to explore how together we can ensure that  we and our successor body, the Homes and Communities Agency, rise to the important delivery challenge that we face in our rural communities.”

The conference is taking place from 9.30am until 4pm and is free to attend.  For more information and to register please visit http://www.housing-investinginruralfuturesevent.co.uk/

Ends.

For further press information, please contact Naomi Evans on 020 7393 2118.

Notes to editors:
1) The conference is aimed at chief executives of rural housing providers, those involved in the highest level of rural housing policy, local authority members and chief executives, regional development agencies, land owners, regeneration agencies and central government departments.

2) Matthew Taylor is MP for Truro and St Austell and was commissioned by Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to conduct a review on how land use and planning can better support rural business and deliver affordable housing.  'Living Working Countryside' calls for a fundamental shake-up of planning and affordable housing policy in rural areas and deliver affordable housing.

3) The Housing Corporation is the Government's national affordable homes agency.

4) The Housing Corporation is responsible for regulating housing associations, which provide some two million homes across England, and is responsible for investing in new affordable homes. The Corporation's £8.4 billion investment programme for 2008-11 is its biggest ever. Its previous investment programme of £3.9 billion for 2006-08 funded 92,752 homes; 52,929 of these for affordable rent, and 39,823 for affordable sale through the Government's HomeBuy initiatives, helping people to get a foot on the property ladder.

5) The Housing Corporation is working with English Partnerships and Communities and Local Government to establish two new bodies, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Tenant Services Authority (TSA) which are due to launch this December.