A lack of rural homes and jobs is forcing youngsters out of the countryside, the government has been told.

Rural areas are being threatened by the flight from the countryside, warns a report by the Commission for Rural Communities.

The document, Rural Advocate report 2010, was published on Thursday (4 March).

A full copy of the report can be downloaded here (1.6mb pdf).

The long-term future of the countryside is in jeopardy because so many young people are being forced out of rural areas, it says.

Commission chairman Stuart Burgess gathered evidence about the fears, aspirations, challenges and needs of young rural people.

“Challenges with housing, work, transport, training and social exclusion are preventing young people from living in the countryside,” he said.

“Without young people to provide a work force, rural economies are unable to fulfil their full potential and rural communities can go into a decline.”

On top of this, lack of broadband and mobile phone coverage in many rural areas was hitting young people and businesses alike, said Dr Burgess.

The report calls on policymakers to demonstrate a better understanding of the challenges facing rural young people

It calls for:

• flexible planning to create more affordable rural housing;
• new ways to meet rural employment and training needs
• greater efforts by schools and universities to raise young people’s aspirations;
• a renewed focus on providing integrated public transport
• a push to improve rural mobile phone coverage and broadband

Rural areas lacked the connectivity driving urban youth culture, making it difficult to join social networks and getting internet help with homework, said Dr Burgess.

“Challenges for rural young people need addressing positively and urgently and that failure to act will put the future viability of our rural communities at risk.

“It is essential to break the cycle of low aspirations and, instead, inspire young people to fulfil their potential and play an active role in our society.”