Hampshire parishes are celebrating national Rural Housing Week (11-17 July) with the Hampshire Alliance for Rural Affordable Housing (HARAH) by welcoming new housing associations to the HARAH partnership.

Since 2005 the HARAH partnership has successfully delivered 392 new affordable homes in villages across the county, providing homes for 1,400 local people. HARAH is made up of six Hampshire Local Authorities, the County Council, two National Park Authorities, Action Hampshire, and the Homes and Communities Agency.

Following Hyde Housing’s decision in late 2015 to rationalise its stock and end development in a number of the HARAH local authority areas, HARAH began the search to find new partners to continue the successful delivery of affordable rural housing across Hampshire. After a rigorous selection process, the HARAH Board invited the Hampshire Village Homes consortium to join the partnership.

Hampshire Village Homes is a consortium of five housing associations. These are Hastoe, English Rural, Winchester Housing Trust, Petersfield Housing Association and New Forest Villages Housing Association. The five will work together with the HARAH partners to ensure that 50 new affordable homes are delivered across rural Hampshire each year until 2020.

All of the housing associations in Hampshire Village Homes are committed rural housing specialists with proven experience of delivering new affordable homes. Three of the housing associations have their history firmly in Hampshire.

During Rural Housing Week HARAH will be hosting four events around the county to introduce Hampshire Village Homes to local Parish Councils. Over a tasty breakfast or afternoon tea, Parish Councillors will able to find out more about the work of HARAH, visit schemes, talk to other Parish Councils who have successfully provided new affordable housing, and hear how new affordable homes can help keep businesses and services open in villages.

More information can be found at www.harah.org.uk. For details about Rural Housing Week events please email contact@harah.org.uk.