Rural housing champion dies
The chief executive of the Rural Housing Trust who campaigned tirelessly for the housing needs of people in villages has died aged 65.
Moira Constable’s interest in rural housing grew after working as head of research at Shelter and publishing a report on tied accommodation in 1975.
Her work informed the drafting of the government’s 1976 Rent (Agriculture) Act, which led to the Rural Housing Trust, where she was the first fieldworker for three years.
She became the director of Muir Group housing association in Chester in 1978 before returning to the Rural Housing Trust as chief executive in 1983.
At the trust, she developed its expertise and experience as a lead builder of affordable housing in small villages in England. The developer created 16 rural housing associations and developed unsubsidised shared ownership housing in villages under her leadership.
Ms Constable was closely involved in the launch of the government’s Rural Housing Initiative in 1988, which endorsed the use of exception sites in small villages to ensure affordable housing was reserved for local people.
She then campaigned to retain the rural exception policy and to restrict the rights to buy and staircase in small villages.
Chairman of the trust, Sir Edward Greenwell, said: ‘Moira was hugely committed to affordable rural housing. She was an arresting personality who was deeply interested in the welfare of others.
‘Over the years thousands of families have been enabled to live in the village of their origin because of her work.’
Ms Constable retired from the trust in December last year due to ill health, and in January the organisation stopped developing. She died on 26 September.
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Readers' comments (2)
Tom Hainey | 01/10/2009 11:25 am
It is very sad to hear of Moira's passing. She was quite clearly a towering figure in the affordable rural housing movement and someone whose efforts have made a huge difference to the lives of thousands of families and a great many rural communities under pressure. On behalf of all of us at the Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust I offer our condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.
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Peter Dixon | 03/11/2009 4:56 pm
A liitle late, but I would like to add my tribute to Moira. A doughty campaigner, a fantastic ally and a great colleague. She was one of those who really made a difference. You didn't have to agree with her to respect her and appreciate all that she had achieved.
Peter Dixon
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