Threats & Challenges to Living & Working

Affordable housing

There is a lack of affordable housing in rural areas. The local community is being priced out of the market because of the demand for houses in rural settings.

Transport provision

Although distances between settlements on the Isle of Wight are lower than in other rural areas of England, a high proportion of rural dwellers do not have access to a car during the working day. They therefore rely on public transport.

Services in decline

Private and public services have declined in rural villages. Health services have been centralised, so people now have to travel greater distances to obtain health care. Post offices, shops and pubs have declined in the face of increased competition from towns and changes in legislation.

Social exclusion

Many people who are less well off, disabled, unemployed or housebound are excluded from community life. Although voluntary and community groups work hard to address this, pockets of rural poverty are often hidden by conspicuous affluence.

Rural crime

Increasingly, problems that are traditionally associated with urban areas, such as vandalism, are now a concern in rural areas of the Island.

Employment

The recent national trend for businesses to relocate to rural areas has not occurred to any great extent within the Isle of Wight AONB. This may be largely due to our Island status and the increased transport costs that this brings. There is scope to encourage sympathetic location of rural industry within the AONB, where it can be demonstrated to bring social and economic benefits and is not detrimental to the landscape or environment. In particular, farm-based diversification and processing of agricultural products and green tourism initiatives may provide opportunities for rural employment. Income levels are given in the table below.

Development

See section on Development

Resource Use & Waste

See section on Resource Use & Waste

Energy

See section on Resource Use & Waste