A conference today will warn the government that future generations will not be able to afford to buy homes in the countryside unless action is taken to abate the chronic shortage of affordable rural homes.

The National Housing Federation and the Campaign to Protect Rural England, two bodies often seen as being on opposite sides of the housing debate, have united to warn the government that action is required on a strict timetable.

They want to see a timetable for implementing last year's Affordable Rural Housing Commission report. This called for measures such as limiting the right to buy rural homes.

Other measures include:

• Bringing forward previously developed public land for affordable housing.
• Reduce empty properties in rural areas. It still costs more in VAT to refurbish an existing empty property than it does to build a new home.

David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said, "Eight months have passed since the Affordable Rural Housing Commission gave us a blueprint for addressing the rural housing crisis. What change have we seen since then? Precious little.”

 “We've had some of the reforms to the planning system called for by the report, but the commission also made a raft of other practical recommendations that have so far been ignored by the government.”

"The government can't afford to drag its heels while so many people in our rural communities are denied access to an affordable home. Urgent action is needed."