We have a housing crisis on Exmoor, and that’s why the work of Exmoor Young Voices is so vital. It was great to catch up with Les at the Dulverton Breakfast Club and hear about their recent King’s Award for Voluntary Service, more than deserved for giving young people in our National Park a voice.
Exmoor’s future depends on the next generation being able to live, work, and raise families here. Yet for too many 18–30 year olds, housing is out of reach. There are just 960 people under 30 living on Exmoor today, a staggeringly small number when we consider that around 1,000 homes are empty at any one time. Many young people are stuck living at home or leaving the area altogether.
Its clear that we must:
- Prioritise local people and young families in new housing developments
- Identify and unlock small housing sites in villages across the National Park
- Encourage owners to convert empty cottages into full-time homes
- Back self-build opportunities with land and support
- Make it easier for local businesses to employ and house young people
This isn’t just a housing issue, it’s about the long-term survival of our communities. Hospitality makes up a third of Exmoor’s economy. If we price out the workforce, local jobs, schools, and services will go too.
We need law changes to support this shift. National Parks and housing associations must be required to give weight to the needs of young people. Planning rules should protect local character, but also allow for quirks of extra rural areas like four-dog households, wood stores, and the practicalities of rural life. That’s what real rural housing looks like.
We must act now to avoid becoming a museum to the past. Let’s keep Exmoor a place where families can stay, thrive, and build the future.
