Theme

Rural Hampshire

Jo Heath

Head of Countryside

High Quality Landscape

• 85% classified as rural

• 1/3 designated for landscape quality

• 13% SSSI nationally important

• 19% wooded

High Quality Landscape

A Farming County

• 54% of the land area is farmed

• Employs 7,000 people across 2,000 holdings

• Hampshire farms on average receive £32,000 in Basic Payment scheme – only make £38,000 net profit

• In England just 7% farms produce over half agricultural output

Economy in Rural Areas• £500m attributable to land

based sector (1.1%)

• Large number of businesses employing fewer people than average

• Diversification required to support traditional agriculture

• Visitor economy important

Rural Life• 22% of Hampshire’s total

population live in rural areas

• Rural house prices are 10x the average income

• As rurality increases affordability diminishes

Heat Map: Average Rural House Prices 2018

Source: Land Registry Recorded Sales 2018

Diverse Connected Communities?

• Less diverse communities – wealthier and older

• Superfast broadband is vital

• 97.5% of premises in Hampshire are connected

• Only 85% of rural premises

Rural Change Drivers

Population Change

Environmental Factors

Technology & Connectivity

Innovation & Investment

Shifting Value

Key Trends

• Older people with more complex needs

• Impact on Rural communities greater

• No change to trend of migration of young people

• Changes in land use – different businesses

• Increasing events requiring resilient communities

• Decline of species and habitats

Key Trends

• New jobs currently not even thought of

• Greater productivity

• Different models for energy supply & distribution

• Change in agricultural subsidy

• Increasing expectation for super speed connectivity

• Investment to not let rural areas fall behind

Key Trends

• Flexing between work and home life

• Internet shopping – increasing the reach

• Staycations & authentic experiences

Expert Witness:

Craig Livingstone, Lockerley Estate Manager and Farmer’s Weekly Arable Farmer of the Year and overall Farmer of the Year 2018.

To be joined by:

Matthew Bloor, Lockerley Estate Forestry Manager.

RURAL RENAISSANCE 2050

Rural Renaissance

2050

Reliable/ fast digital

connectivity

Sustainable business growth

Virtual services e.g. healthcare,

education & training

Drones & driverless

cars – move people &

goods

Connected, diverse & resilient

communities

Improved health & wellbeing

Thriving social hubs

Affordable housing solutions

Investment meets rural community needs

Remote/ flexible workers –less travel

Community involvement & volunteer services

Demand for authentic experiences & goods with provenance

Natural environment is valued and invested in

People & communities feel connected to nature

Climate change impacts understood & action taken to mitigate

Alternative future – The Smith Family

The Smith family have recently moved backto the village into one of the newaffordable houses. The two Smith children,Jane and Michael are both attending classesdelivered by an interactive live webinar.They are looking forward to a virtual classvisit to the Louvre to learn about Frenchimpressionists via their virtual headsets.They meet other children in the villagemost days as the parents take it in turn tolead a walk in the countryside, this givesthem a chance to exercise and meditate,learn more about the natural environmentwhilst giving them a break from screens.

Alternative future – Mary

Mary is in her 80’s and she is havinga regular check up by her GP viaSkype. Her GP has been able todownload her health data for thepast month from her wearabledevice and he can now take a virtualreading of her blood pressure. TheGP needs to prescribe somemedication so he has added it to thedrone list scheduled to visit hervillage later in the week.

Video

Alternative Futures:

Rural Life In Hampshire 2050

Expert Witness:

Graham Biggs (MBE), Chief Executive for the Rural Services Network