Rural Housing Enabling
Independent support and advice to help rural communities deliver small-scale affordable housing schemes in Dorset
Over recent years, Dorset’s rural communities have watched as young people and families are increasingly priced out of their home villages — forced to leave behind family, jobs, and local networks. With a shrinking supply of social housing and an unaffordable private rental sector, our rural communities are at risk of losing their vibrancy and essential services like schools, pubs, and shops.
Our Rural Housing Enabling Service helps local people to create small-scale affordable housing that serves the specific needs of their communities.
DCA supports:
- Parish councils
- Local residents and community groups
- Planning departments
- Housing associations and landowners
We enable communities to identify housing needs, explore viable sites, including Rural Exception Sites, and navigate the development process from vision to completed homes.
Unlike other housing development bodies, our approach is:
- Community-led – We empower local voices to shape and drive their housing solutions.
- Independent and impartial – We offer neutral, expert guidance without vested interests.
- Locally focused – We work exclusively in rural Dorset, with deep knowledge of the local planning landscape, stakeholders, and challenges.
- Collaborative – We bring together councils, landowners, and housing associations to deliver shared outcomes.
Backed by ACRE and Defra – Our service is part of a national programme with dedicated funding and credibility.
Our Rural Housing Enabler supports communities through every stage of the journey:
- Raise awareness – We help residents and local leaders understand the impacts of current shortages.
- Housing Needs Surveys – We guide communities in collecting data, identifying the scale and type of the local need.
- Feasibility and options – We support site identification and evaluate the viability of potential schemes.
- Partnership building – We connect communities with the right stakeholders, from parish councils to housing associations and developers.
- Navigating planning – We advise on Rural Exception Sites and help schemes secure permissions.
- Overcoming barriers – We help tackle issues that can stall projects, from funding to local opposition.
- Ongoing monitoring and inspiration – We share success stories and lessons learned to encourage more communities to act.
Guiding Steer
Maintain control of the housing development process to build houses appropriate to your community.
Independent and Impartial
We offer neutral, expert guidance without vested interests.
Holistic Relationships
Our working relationship with Dorset Council’s Housing Enabling and development teams enables us to better overcome planning hurdles.
A small site on the edge of a village that would not normally be granted planning permission but can be used for affordable housing if there is proven local need.
Homes are prioritised for people with a strong local connection to the parish or surrounding area, through family, work, or long-term residence.
Our advice and support are funded by the Defra programme and are free of charge to communities, although there may be charges for additional services.
No. We help communities partner with housing associations or builders who specialise in affordable rural housing.
Common Concerns:
“We’re worried local people won’t get the homes.”
We ensure homes are allocated based on a local connection policy, with priority given to people from the area.
“We don’t want large developments in our village.”
Our focus is on small-scale schemes — typically 4 to 10 homes — designed to fit within the character of your community.
“It sounds complicated.”
We simplify the process with step-by-step support and expert advice. You’re not expected to do this alone.
Funded and Backed by Experts
Our work is part of a national £2.5 million programme funded by Defra, coordinated by ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England). This ensures that we bring national insight, trusted resources, and policy connections to every local project.
Trusted by Communities Like Yours.
Ready to Start?
Contact Jacqui Cuff, Rural Housing Enabler:
📧 jacqui.cuff@dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk
📞 07421 994590
Let’s have a conversation about how we can help your community build the homes it needs.
Stay Connected:
Join our mailing list for updates, success stories and rural housing news.
Join our community of changemakers working for rural housing in Dorset.
Sign up as a Member to gain our extra funding bulletins, or click to receive our e-newsletter.
If you need something extra, please use this quick ‘Make an Enquiry’ form and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.