The National Rural Conference 2025

Bookings are now officially open for the National Rural Conference 2025, which will take place online from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 September.
This is the Rural Services Network’s flagship event of the year, bringing together rural decision-makers, practitioners, and advocates for four days of live, interactive sessions focused on the future of rural communities.
Click here to book!

The National Rural Conference 2023 - Rural Affordable Housing Session

The National Rural Conference 2023 is kindly:

Supported by: Sponsored by:

Rural Affordable Housing Session

You can download the agenda for the day here:

Conference scene setting video:
Highlights of the Conference:

The Speaker Presentations can be downloaded below:
Kevin Garvey, Head of Member Relations, National Housing Federation

"Understanding the challenges and opportunities for rural affordable housing delivery"

(Download presentation here)

- View Kevin Garvey's biography here

Helen Fielding, Director of Development and Investment, Broadacres Housing Association

"Challenges facing rural housing associations"
(Download presentation here)

- View Helen Fielding's biography here

Alex Rehaag, Principle Affordable Housing Officer, South Hams District Council and West Devon Borough Council & Christine Phillipson, Chairman, Newton and Noss Community Land Trust

"Delivering rural housing to suit all - A Different Approach"

(Download presentation here)

- View Alex Rehagg's biography here
- View Christine Phillipson's biography here

Speakers:

To find out more about the speakers click on the following links:

Kerry Booth, Chief Executive, Rural Services Network
https://rsnonline.org.uk/the-national-rural-conference-2023-speaker-biographies#kerry-booth

Kevin Garvey, Head of Member Relations, National Housing Federation
https://rsnonline.org.uk/the-national-rural-conference-2023-speaker-biographies#kevin-garvey

Helen Fielding, Director of Development and Investment, Broadacres HA
https://rsnonline.org.uk/the-national-rural-conference-2023-speaker-biographies#helen-fielding

Alex Rehaag, Principle Affordable Housing Officer, South Hams & West Devon Councils
https://rsnonline.org.uk/the-national-rural-conference-2023-speaker-biographies#alex-rehaag

Christine Phillipson, Chairman, Newton and Noss Community Land Trust
https://rsnonline.org.uk/the-national-rural-conference-2023-speaker-biographies#christine-phillipson


Useful links from the session:

Winning the Rural Vote – Road Map
See our rural housing asks at:
https://rsnonline.org.uk/winning-the-rural-vote  

RSN Fair Funding Campaign:
https://www.rsnonline.org.uk/page/fairer-funding-campaign   

RSN Levelling Up Research:
https://rsnonline.org.uk/category/levelling-up-analysis

Rural as a region: the hidden challenge for Levelling Up:
https://rsnonline.org.uk/images/publications/rural-as-a-region-the-hidden-challenge-for-levelling-up.pdf

RSN Rural Lens Reviews on government policies and strategies:
https://rsnonline.org.uk/tag/rural-lens   

Rural Cost of Living research:
https://rsnonline.org.uk/images/publications/rural-cost-of-living.pdf

Rural Cost of Living Survey Findings:
https://www.rsnonline.org.uk/rural-households-left-feeling-isolated-by-the-cost-of-living-crisis

National Housing Federation:
https://www.housing.org.uk/

Why we need a long-term plan:
https://www.housing.org.uk/long-term-plan

Broadacres Housing Association:
https://www.broadacres.org.uk/

Increasing affordable housing in the countryside:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/sep/increasing-affordable-housing-countryside-rural-exception-sites#:~:text=Embracing%20the%20Rural%20Exception%20Site,the%20English%20Rural%20Housing%20Association

Inspector back affordable homes policy:
https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/inspector-backs-affordable-homes-policy/

Rural Housing Alliance:
https://ruralhousingalliance.net/

Community led housing at Collaton Park, Devon:
www.collatonpark.com

A Different Approach Housing:
https://adahousing.co.uk/

National Community Land Trust Network:
https://www.communitylandtrusts.org.uk/

Two Generations Homeshare:
https://twogenerations.co.uk/

Citizens Advice - Local Housing Allowance:
https://wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/why-the-freeze-on-local-housing-allowance-is-unsustainable-125f84cddeca

SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS
A huge thanks to our Conference sponsors and supporters:
BT https://www.bt.com/
Gemserv https://gemserv.com/
Northern Powergrid https://www.northernpowergrid.com/ 
SWS Broadband https://www.swsbroadband.net/
NICRE https://nicre.co.uk/


Rural Facts and Figures