We were delighted that the ACRE Network’s role supporting affordable rural housing was recognised by none other than HRH The Princess Royal, who delivered the keynote speech at this year’s Rural Housing Conference in London on 30 April 2025.

Jointly organised by English Rural and Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), the conference brought together policymakers, housing professionals and community leaders to explore the future of affordable rural housing – and how we get there.

The event’s theme, Affordable Rural Housing: Opportunity in Changing Times, echoed the growing momentum behind efforts to address one of the countryside’s most pressing challenges.

In her address, HRH The Princess Royal reminded delegates of the deeper human story behind the housing numbers:

“We aren’t just talking about houses — we’re talking about the people and communities that make our countryside live and breathe.”

Her words were a powerful reminder that the work of Rural Housing Enablers – like our own at Cambridgeshire ACRE – is not just about development. It’s about people, place and possibility.

The cost of inaction

Throughout the day, speakers and contributors laid out the scale of the challenge in clear and compelling terms:

• The average cost of a rural home now stands at £418,400—well beyond the means of many, particularly when average rural wages are just £25,600.
• Rural areas account for 18% of the population, yet only 10% of affordable homes are built in these communities.
• Investing in rural housing could unlock up to £87 billion a year in productivity, helping to revitalise local economies and create sustainable, long-term jobs.

These figures speak volumes, but it was the stories shared by Rural Housing Enablers from across the country that brought them to life. They spoke of individuals and families forced to leave the places they call home, of young people priced out of the communities they grew up in, and of the difference that a secure, affordable home can make.

 

Listening, enabling, supporting

 

At Cambridgeshire ACRE, we know that effective rural housing solutions start with listening. Our Rural Housing Enablers, Gary and Russell, work directly with communities, parish councils and housing associations to understand local needs and help shape appropriate responses.

This approach is grounded in trust, collaboration and long-term thinking. We support rural communities to articulate what they need and want, and then work alongside them to turn those conversations into tangible, lasting change.

We were proud to see this way of working reflected in so many of the conference discussions. Rural Housing Enablers across the country are helping to ensure that housing delivery is rooted in community voice – not imposed from above. It’s a model based on integrity and respect, and it works.

 

Securing the future of rural housing

 

There was a clear consensus at the conference: delivering truly affordable homes in rural areas requires a coordinated national effort. That includes:

• Planning reform that supports community-led development
• Incentives for landowners to release land at prices that make affordable housing viable
• Sustainable funding for the Rural Housing Enabler network, ensuring this essential support is available where it’s most needed

This isn’t about short-term fixes. It’s about creating the conditions for long-term rural resilience – where people of all ages and backgrounds can continue to live, work and contribute to their communities.

 

A shared commitment

 

We left the conference feeling encouraged – not only by the strength of the evidence, but by the shared sense of purpose across sectors. There is growing recognition that rural housing must be seen not as a niche issue, but as a core part of national housing strategy.

At Cambridgeshire ACRE, we remain committed to ensuring that rural communities across our county have a strong voice in these conversations. We will continue to advocate for practical solutions, rooted in lived experience, that respond to the distinct challenges and opportunities of rural life.

We’re proud to stand alongside our national partners, and even prouder that the value of this work is being recognised at the very highest level.

Because building homes is important – but creating thriving, balanced and resilient rural communities takes more than bricks and mortar. It takes people, partnerships and a deep belief in what’s possible when communities are empowered to lead.

 

You can watch the conference in its entirety on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/xx2T57AMrMg but if you just want to hear HRH The Princess Royal’s speech then please fast forward 41 minutes into the event.