Announcing the Rural Housing Network Research Project: Exploring the Impact of Devolution on Affordable Rural Housing Delivery

We are excited to announce that we are currently seeking a research partner for a new project commissioned by the Rural Housing Network (RHN) to explore the impact of devolution on the delivery of affordable rural housing. This project aims to identify key risks and opportunities associated with devolution and provide evidence-based recommendations to safeguard and improve the delivery of affordable homes in rural communities with populations of less than 3,000. 

About the Rural Housing Network 

The RHN is a coalition of organisations dedicated to representing rural communities and advocating for the provision of affordable housing. Our objective is to be a collective and national voice on affordable housing delivery, advising Homes England and the Government on policy development and implementation. We facilitate dialogue between rural housing bodies and the Government, monitor progress and evidence around rural housing needs, and act as a forum for rural proofing of policy. 

Research Objectives 

The research project will focus on the following key objectives: 

1. Understanding the Impact of Devolution: The research will examine how affordable rural housing has been or is likely to be affected by different forms of devolution. This includes analysing existing and emerging devolution deals, as well as the planned Strategic Authorities, Foundation Strategic Authorities, and new Unitary Authorities as outlined in the English Devolution White Paper. 

1. Identifying Good Practice and Opportunities: The project will evaluate good practices and opportunities that support the delivery of affordable rural homes through devolution. This includes reviewing previous devolution bids and deals, actions taken by devolved authorities to support rural housing, and input from various authorities at different stages of the devolution journey. 

1. Providing Evidence-Based Recommendations: The research will provide a set of recommendations that the RHN can use to ensure devolution safeguards and improves the delivery of affordable housing in small rural communities. These recommendations will be based on a credible and well-drafted report that can be shared with national and local governments and associated agencies. 

Methodology 

The research will include a review of relevant devolution deals within England, a wider literature review, data collection and analysis, case studies from different tiers of devolved government, and input from a range of authorities. The project will be steered by an Advisory Group drawn from RHN members, and day-to-day management will be handled by the English Rural Housing Association. 

Budget and Funding 

The RHN has secured £15,000 for this research. We encourage tenderers to leverage additional sources of funding to expand the reach of the research. 

Tender Specification

To read the full tender specification, please click here.

Tender Submission 

We invite individual organisations and consortia to submit tenders for this research project. Tenders should include the proposed methodology, staff expertise, timetable, budget, and previous examples of comparable work. The closing date for tenders is 7th April 2025.  

Tenders will be assessed based on their alignment with the research brief, rates and prices, quality of the proposal, and references. Shortlisted providers will be interviewed on 10th April 2025. 

Contact Information 

For any enquiries about this research project, please contact the research coordinator, James Crawford-Smith, at 02078207930 or james.crawford-smith@englishrural.org.uk.