Affordable homes help people remain close to their families, friends, jobs and the communities they call home. Through the Cambridgeshire Rural Affordable Housing Partnership, we work with rural communities to identify local housing need and bring forward the right homes in the right places.

Why is this needed?

In many rural communities, high house prices, limited private rented accommodation and a shortage of affordable homes make it difficult for local people to find somewhere suitable to live.

This can mean young people having to leave the community where they grew up, families moving away from their support networks and older residents being unable to find a more suitable home close to family and friends.

A small development of affordable homes can help people with a local connection remain in or return to their community. It can also support local services, businesses and the long-term sustainability of the village.

What is the Cambridgeshire Rural Affordable Housing Partnership?

The Partnership brings together Cambridgeshire ACRE, four local authorities and six housing associations with experience of delivering affordable homes in rural communities.

By working together, we combine local knowledge, housing expertise and an understanding of the planning process. This helps communities explore whether affordable housing is needed and, where there is evidence of need and community support, develop an appropriate scheme.

Cambridgeshire ACRE acts as an independent and impartial broker throughout the process. We support the best interests of the community and help ensure that any proposed development responds to local need and respects the character of the area.

How we support rural communities

Our Rural Housing Enablers work closely with parish councils and local communities from the earliest stages of a project. We can help communities to:

• understand local housing pressures
• carry out an independent housing needs survey
• share the findings and discuss them with the community
• identify and assess potential sites
• understand rural exception site and planning policy
• engage with landowners, local authorities and housing associations
• consider the design, size and mix of homes needed
• maintain clear communication as a scheme progresses.

A housing needs survey does not commit a parish to supporting development. It provides independent evidence to help the community understand whether there is a need for affordable housing and make informed decisions about what should happen next.

“Affordable housing is key to thriving rural communities—we’re here to make it happen.”

What is a rural exception site?

A rural exception site is a small development on land that would not normally receive permission for open market housing. Its main purpose is to provide affordable homes that meet an identified local need.

People with a connection to the parish, or to nearby communities where the relevant policy allows, are given priority for these homes. This helps ensure the development benefits local people now and in the future.

Our impact

Since 2013, we have undertaken 70 independent Housing Needs Surveys and helped communities bring forward almost 400 affordable homes across more than 30 schemes.

Our latest research shows that rural housing need remains significant. During 2025–26, we:

• completed eight Housing Needs Surveys
• invited nearly 4,000 households to take part
• received responses from almost 900 households
• identified evidence of need for at least 175 affordable homes.

Behind these figures are younger people struggling to remain in the communities where they grew up, families unable to find suitable homes close to their support networks and older residents who would like to downsize without leaving their village.

Our report, Beyond the numbers: rural housing need across Cambridgeshire, brings together the findings from these surveys. It explores the pressures facing rural communities, what happens after a survey and how affordable homes can help villages remain mixed, sustainable and connected.

Information for parish and town councils

Parish and town councils have an important role in identifying local housing need, listening to residents and helping communities explore their options.

Our practical guide explains how rural affordable housing works, the role your council can play and the main stages involved in bringing forward a scheme.

Read the Parish Councillors’ Guide to Rural Affordable Housing:

We would be pleased to attend a parish council meeting to explain the process, answer questions and discuss whether a housing needs survey could be helpful.

Information for landowners and housing providers

We also welcome conversations with landowners who may be interested in making land available to meet an identified local housing need.

Our Rural Housing Enablers can explain how rural exception sites work and connect landowners, local authorities and housing providers with the relevant community.

Useful links

• Parish Councillors’ Guide to Rural Affordable Housing (published by the Rural Housing Alliance)
• Cambridgeshire ACRE’s Offer to Communities on Rural Affordable Housing
• Find out more about the housing needs survey process
  

Who can I talk to about this work?

If your community is concerned about the availability of affordable housing, or you would simply like to understand the options, please contact our Rural Housing Enablers.

Please contact Gary Roffey, on 01353 865031 or email gary.roffey@cambsacre.org.uk or Russell Moore, on 01353 865040 or email russell.moore@cambsacre.org.uk.

An initial conversation does not commit your council or community to taking any further action.