Nearly 700,000 people are now stuck on waiting lists for an affordable home in rural England, the National Housing Federation (NHF) and Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) warned today.

Over the last five years, the number of people waiting for an affordable home in country areas has soared by 37%, up from 507,757 in 2003 to 695,735 last year.

On average 14,494 people have been added to housing waiting lists in rural areas every month over the last four years.

The situation is now so serious that the NHF and CPRE are today launching a charter, Save Rural England, Build Affordable Homes, containing an eight point blueprint, setting out how the supply of affordable homes could be significantly, and appropriately, increased in rural communities.

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The NHF and CPRE are calling on the Government to publish a clear timetable for responding to Liberal Democrat MP Matthew Taylor's landmark report into the rural housing crisis. Since the report was published in July, the Government has given no indication if it will act on its findings.

NHF Chief Executive David Orr said: "The rural housing crisis is intensifying rapidly, with more and more people being priced out of the market and having to live in cramped and unsuitable conditions.

"Ministers need urgently to implement the key recommendations in the Taylor Review and the Federation and CPRE joint action plan if they are to help those in need of an affordable rural home.

"Without urgent action by ministers many of our villages are in danger of becoming the preserve of the rich and weekend playgrounds for second home owners, with schools, pubs and post offices at risk of closing because of a lack of customers.

"Others are at risk of becoming very poor, as economic activity and young people of a working age are simply squeezed out."

(CD/NS)