Affordable housing ‘not about bringing people in from outside the area' insists Shropshire association boss

Affordable housing is vital to keeping rural villages alive but is still widely misunderstood, a Shropshire housing chief has said.

John Green, chief executive of Shropshire Rural Housing Association, said misconceptions about who affordable homes are built for continue to surface whenever new schemes are proposed.

His comments come as tenants settle into The Orchard development in Chirbury, where residents range from a retired couple in their 70s to an 18‑year‑old student living independently for the first time.

Mr Green said the association regularly encounters assumptions that affordable housing brings in people from outside the area, when in reality schemes are designed to keep local families rooted in their communities.

“There is often a misconception about who the homes are for,” he said. “It’s never about bringing people in from outside the area. The aim is to provide homes for local people - those who already live here or have family or an existing connection.”

Eligibility criteria for the Chirbury homes included being born in the parish, having children at the village school or working within 5km of the area.

Mr Green said such rules ensure villages retain younger generations and protect key amenities such as the school, shop and pub.

Among the new residents are Jess and Ryan, who have three children, and 18‑year‑old Libby, who is studying at a nearby college.

Libby said: “Moving into my own home has been the best opportunity for me as it has granted me my own freedom to create a new chapter of my life.

“After spending a few years living between friends and family I always felt out of place and nothing felt like home, until I got offered one of The Orchard houses in my childhood village of Chirbury.

“When I moved in I was 18 and was worried about being able to afford somewhere with reasonable prices. If I didn’t get offered this house I probably wouldn’t be going to university this September and would instead have to pick up more jobs to be able to afford a flat.”

Jess said the location meant her family could stay close to relatives and the children’s school.

“It’s such a nice location here and we are so happy and grateful to have the opportunity to live in a house like this,” she said.