The National Housing Federation (NHF) has welcomed the report by Matthew Taylor MP on rural housing - and urged ministers to implement the recommendations as quickly as possible.

The Taylor report sets out to tackle the growing problem of house price unaffordability in rural areas - which is destroying village life in places across the country.

NHF Chief Executive David Orr said: "The Taylor report sets out how to revive England's villages as sustainable places in which to live and work - and the onus is now on the Government to enact its recommendations.


"Matthew Taylor shows how villages can be living, breathing entities, instead of fusty museum pieces that are the preserve of the rich and elderly.

"The report must not be allowed to gather dust on ministerial shelves. Its recommendations must be rolled out as quickly as possible."

He added: "Unless the Government enacts Matthew Taylor's recommendations quickly, many villages will die, others will become dormitories of the rich, while others will simply become poor - as economic activity is steadily squeezed out.

"Ministers must act now to prevent even more families being priced out of our villages, leaving them to become virtual ghettos of the very rich and elderly."

(CD/JM)