Young families 'unable to live in countryside'
15.10.2008
Young people are being forced out of the countryside because they cannot afford mortgages on the properties for sale or the general cost of life there, it is claimed.
Laura Wood, a spokeswoman for NFU Mutual, makes her comments following research by her organisation which showed the average annual income in rural areas is higher than in urban locations.
She argues that country life is an "impossible dream" for younger families, adding this is worrying for the future of the countryside.
"A lack of affordable homes, lower wages and higher costs of living could all be to blame," Ms Wood notes.
Many mortgage holders dream of moving to the countryside, with recent research by Halifax finding almost a quarter of people said proximity to the countryside is their top dream when it comes to finding a new home.
The most important factors after that include being close to work, transport links and restaurants.
Laura Wood, a spokeswoman for NFU Mutual, makes her comments following research by her organisation which showed the average annual income in rural areas is higher than in urban locations.
She argues that country life is an "impossible dream" for younger families, adding this is worrying for the future of the countryside.
"A lack of affordable homes, lower wages and higher costs of living could all be to blame," Ms Wood notes.
Many mortgage holders dream of moving to the countryside, with recent research by Halifax finding almost a quarter of people said proximity to the countryside is their top dream when it comes to finding a new home.
The most important factors after that include being close to work, transport links and restaurants.
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