Housing
Rural Housing Week: Knowing your NIMBY from your BANANA in the world of rural, affordable housing
I first came across the acronym NIMBY when I attended a communications training day for people involved in rural affordable housing. It was an event attended mainly by Rural Housing Enablers (individuals who help establish affordable housing in rural communities) and communications professionals like me. Not In My Back Yard and Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything (or BANANA) are words which are sometimes used in response to plans for affordable homes in rural communities. In our... read more »
Rural Housing Week: Creating homes and building communities
Claire Morgan, our specialist in Rural Housing gives her reflections on the need for housing and the importance of raising awareness during Rural Housing Week 6-10 July. I’ll be honest, when I was asked to join the housing team, I wondered how building more houses aligned with Action Hampshire’s objectives and values. It’s very different to most of the other projects we undertake such as Raising Voices in Research and Communities about Cancer. I soon realised... read more »
Rural Housing Week: A rough guide to rural, affordable housing in Hampshire
To help clarify the process of bringing affordable homes to your village, we’d like to share the story of a development in Curdridge, a rural village in Hampshire, 7 miles from Southampton which is now completed and awaiting its official opening. The occupancy of 8 new affordable homes in Curdridge Parish is prioritised for households in housing need with a local connection to the Curdridge Parish and the close surrounding area. The scheme completed in... read more »
Roots and Roofs: Building Rural Futures!
Interested in building local homes, growing communities, and strengthening rural living? We’re pleased to invite you to Roots & Roofs: Building Rural Futures, a community-focused event hosted by Action Hampshire. This free in-person event is an opportunity to: Learn how Rural Exception Sites can benefit your parish Hear from experts and a parish council who’ve successfully delivered affordable homes Understand the role of housing providers, National Parks, and local authorities Ask questions and explore how we... read more »
Rural Housing Week: Showcasing vibrant villages in Hampshire!
7-11 July was Rural Housing Week and a time to shout loud and proud about the power of affordable homes which keep our countryside communities thriving! At Action Hampshire, we believe that thriving rural communities are built on strong foundations - and affordable housing is one of the most important. We’ve been working alongside communities for over 20 years to help bring forward affordable homes that meet local needs. So how did we celebrate our vibrant... read more »
"You cannot maintain good health without good housing"
People’s housing circumstances and home environment impacts on people’s health and wellbeing. The home environment is also important for enabling access to other health improvements like employment, social networks, essential services, and green spaces. The Director of Public Health’s annual report 2019/20 states that personal outcomes and opportunities are also shaped as much as where we live as who we are. ‘Our home is not just a dwelling place. It should... read more »
Wickham Community Land Trust – Local people, Local solutions, Local control
Hampshire is an expensive place to live with many people unable to afford suitable housing. Those on modest incomes often have no choice but to move out of their community away from family, friends, and valuable support networks in search of an affordable home. Some end up moving back with their parents, living in house shares, or spending a lot of money renting privately. This issue is more prevalent in rural areas. Recent research carried... read more »
Sandford Cooperative, London
In 1967, John Hands, the then president of the University of London, formed a group to tackle social and economic inequalities in Sandford. He set up a pilot housing coop with the aim of taking control from landlords and helping to reduce isolation and loneliness for young people. Housing Cooperatives are quite distinct from individual renting or buying. They are about ‘collective ownership’ rather than the traditional hierarchical tenancy relationship - read more »
Group self and custom build – is this the future?
Group self and custom build – is this the future? 190,000 self-build homes have been built in Berlin, why are our European neighbours so ahead of the game when it comes to self and custom build rates? Figures show that demand for self and custom build is here in the UK with 40,000 people estimated to be registered on local authority self and custom build waiting lists across the country. This is... read more »
Community-led Housing
Shelter is one of our most basic needs but many people in the UK are unable to access an affordable, secure, and suitable home. Consequently, communities are coming together to deliver their own housing solutions, ensuring that homes that they feel are needed are built for those in housing need in their community. An annual income of £87,000 is now required to purchase the average home in Hampshire at £382,000, far beyond the reach of... read more »
Creating Networks and Communities
Pictured: Four generations; Grandad, his three children, 6 out of 7 grandchildren and his 5 great-grandchildren. Grandad’s 90th Birthday, 2017. I moved to Hampshire in 2012 having spent most of my life living in a small Welsh village. Ten years on, I now feel as though I have two homes – one in Hampshire and the other in Wales. I love walking in the South Downs and New Forest National... read more »
Celebrating 12 new affordable homes for local people in Odiham Parish
Action Hampshire carried out a Housing Need Survey in 2015 which demonstrated evidence of the need for a new affordable housing scheme in the Parish. This evidence of housing need led to the inclusion of a statement within the Odiham Neighbourhood Plan 2017 to support the development of a new scheme in the Parish where affordable homes for local people could be provided. This would be through the identification of a suitable rural exception... read more »
Homes that meet the specific needs of local people...
Hampshire Homes Hub's housing-based survey Hampshire Homes Hub at Action Hampshire carries out a wide variety of housing based surveys which provide an independent assessment of the need for different types of housing within a particular area and an understanding of the housing affordability levels of local residents. At Action Hampshire, we believe that communities are more likely to thrive and retain their amenities and character when homes meet the specific needs of local people,... read more »
Do you want to build your own home in Basingstoke and Deane?
Hampshire Homes Hub are working with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to carry out a survey of those interested in self and custom build. One of the ways in which you can build your own home is through a collaborative self or custom build project. Collaborative self or custom build is where a group of people join forces to build their own homes together on a larger site. By building together the group can share costs... read more »
Celebrating new homes in Pamber
Action Hampshire has been working with parish councils and communities to deliver rural affordable housing for nearly 20 years. As Hampshire Homes Hub we continue this work across Hampshire. This year, 12 new affordable homes for local people were delivered in Pamber. We first started working with Pamber Parish Council back in 2009. My first job when I joined Action Hampshire was to go with my then manager to a Parish Council meeting to discuss helping... read more »
Rural Housing Week 2021 – Committed to rural communities
At Action Hampshire we have been working with parish councils and communities to deliver rural affordable housing for nearly 20 years. As Hampshire Homes Hub we continue this work across Hampshire. Housing is an important issue in rural communities. Recent increases in house prices have far outstripped average increases in earnings, meaning that local people on low or average earnings can be priced out of their local area. As reported recently, analysis from Hamptons Estate Agency... read more »
Women working together to tackle the housing crisis
As we spend International Women’s Day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, here at Action Hampshire we’ve been thinking about how that fits into the work we do with communities. One of our newer projects, Hampshire Homes Hub, is an enabling service for groups looking to deliver community led housing, which is housing that is affordable and often set up and run by the community itself. There are different forms of community... read more »