Member

My genuine belief is that we should not be treating people in rural communities significantly differently from somebody who lives in a town perhaps less than 20 miles away. These schemes, such as right to buy and right to acquire, have traditionally favoured urban tenants, but it is important that there should be equal opportunities. It promotes both fairness and stability. I think also it encourages community development, and, obviously, local investment and individual empowerment. There have been long struggles with these sorts of issues. Unlike urban areas, where the challenge is often housing density, rural areas often face shortages in supply and lack of investment, and we know some of the challenges of a rapidly ageing housing stock.