More than 20 million people in the UK live in rural areas; around a fifth of the population. While this number is significant, the challenges faced by our rural communities are complex and wide-reaching, and present a real threat to their future.

Compared to urban or suburban communities, population demographics in rural areas vary in multiple, meaningful ways. Rural residents tend to be older, and fewer minority ethnic people live in rural areas, with rural Britain presenting a predominantly white landscape.

The cost of living is also far higher in rural areas than in towns and cities, as residents face expensive commutes, unaffordable housing, and a lack of competition for essential daily purchases.

Infrastructure is less well developed – superfast broadband is not yet fully in place, and phone and TV reception is more likely to be poor. Businesspeople in rural areas are often held back by this lack of infrastructure and limited recruitment pools, and those who work in agriculture face additional challenges from Brexit, the stresses of climate change, and volatile markets.

Meanwhile, the delicate ecosystems of the countryside must be protected, and the need to carefully ensure agricultural opportunity, flood management and the preservation of the beauty of the landscape must be held in the highest regard. Historic and often outmoded land and building usage frequently goes unquestioned, and the restrictions of Green Belt land can be perceived as a barrier to development and beneficial change.

These are substantial issues, threatening the longevity of many rural communities. To overcome these, and to nurture viable rural populations and livelihoods, a holistic approach to planning and development is essential.

A unified team of Chartered Surveyors, Town Planners and Architects can take a rounded view of any piece of property or land – large or small – assess its full potential, advise on the many and varied paths available, and then carry out those plans to fruition. That’s precisely what we do at Acland Bracewell. Using the right balance of professional advisors, we work with our clients to understand, manage, develop, and sometimes sell land and property in a way that makes the land work for them and their ambitions, while simultaneously meeting community needs.

Through our multifaceted model, we create lasting relationships with our clients. We develop a rich understanding of each client’s personal aspirations and the characteristics and nuances of their local area. We work towards long term goals, enacting real change.

We provide an integrated, comprehensive approach from concept, to planning and design, through to delivering a desirable development. Through the careful planning and realisation of ripe land, we’ve helped rural communities protect their livelihoods, enhance and preserve the natural beauty of the countryside, and build sustainable futures for generations to come.

And this is essential, because for every challenge at play in rural areas, there is an exciting opportunity. Entrepreneurship is thriving. Around 28 per cent of England’s firms are rural. There are more businesses per head of the population than in towns and cities. Market towns present huge – and often under-exploited – tourism opportunities. Energy production schemes are abound and community spirit is high, with more community-owned pubs, shops, and facilities than other areas of the country.

It takes a multi-disciplinary practice, with a complete understanding of these diverse issues, needs and opportunities, and how to tackle them, to provide what our rural communities need. A piecemeal approach cannot and will not deliver.

Moreover, we owe it to our rural communities – responsible for maintaining the beauty of our country, providing our crops and preserving the nation’s ecological systems – to support them to thrive. With the right people leading the charge, the prospects for rural communities can be remarkable.

To find out more and to discuss our expert services, contact Acland Bracewell today.