Rural Housing

Welcome to the Housing Services rural housing page we hope to expand this page soon to provide more information on other aspects of rural housing in Hart.

First rural exception site developed through HARAH partnership in Hart

Work started on the first rural exception site to be developed through the HARAH partnership in July 2006. The scheme consists of 8 affordable 2 and 3 bed new homes, 6 of which are for rent and 2 shared equity. The scheme is a partnership between Hyde Housing Association, the Housing Corporation, Hart District Council, The Rural Housing Trust and South Warnborough Parish Council.

HARAH

What is HARAH?

The Hampshire Alliance for Rural Affordable Housing was formed in 2005 to address the need for affordable housing in the villages of Hampshire. Hart District Council is one of the 6 founding rural local authorities in Hampshire.

All partners of HARAH are working together to increase the provision and quality of rural affordable housing.

Why was HARAH set up?

Many people have lived in villages all of their lives but find it difficult to purchase their own property because the cost of buying a property is so high. Increasingly people are having to move away from the village they were brought up in because of the lack of affordable housing.

Rural developments can take a long time to negotiate, find funding for and develop. HARAH was formed to help make this more efficient and to provide a consistently high standard of affordable housing to provide more affordable homes to local people in a shorter timescale.

The Harah website is currently under construction, a link to the site will be available here soon.

Allocation of socially rented properties under a rural exception scheme

To be eligible to be nominated, a household must have their name on the District/Borough Housing Register. It is important to explain that, although people may not be high priority on the Housing Register, in the case of rural housing on exception sites, local connections will be an important criterion in the decision process as well as housing need.