On 3 July, the annual Rural Affordable Mythbuster Tour took place and 19 local council representatives joined Cambridgeshire ACRE staff, District and County Council officers and representatives from several Housing Associations to learn more about the provision of affordable homes for local people on rural exception sites. The tour started and concluded at Bluntisham Village Hall and took in sites at Colne, Earith, Willingham and Swavesey. The tour allowed local councillors to see for themselves how small housing developments that provide vital housing for local people in perpetuity (i.e. they cannot be sold off for private housing) can be incorporated into a rural village without affecting its character and allowed them to share experiences regarding provision of housing in their parishes with each other. Feedback from the tour was excellent with people calling it ‘enlightening’ and ‘inspiring’ and noting their pleasant surprise at the high quality of the homes built.

For anyone unable to attend the tour, please click here for a copy of the tour programme that supplies interesting information on each site. If any local council would like to learn more or be interested in talking to Cambridgeshire ACRE regarding rural affordable housing, please contact our Housing, Planning and Economic Development Officer Mark Deas, on 01353 865035.

Further peer learning events are planned for the Autumn. Please look out for details on the Support Cambridgeshire website.