A Charter for Rural Communities

The Carnegie Commission for Rural Community Development undertook one of the most comprehensive consultations on the challenges and opportunities facing local rural communities across the UK and Ireland in recent years (2004 to 2007.) Their intention was to make a serious assessment of the state of the UK and Ireland’s countryside communities today: But it was more than that. They looked ahead, to understand what might happen to rural areas in the future: a greater dependence upon the resources of rural areas for energy production and economic regeneration, set against continuing house price rises and an ageing population. Using ‘futures’ scenario planning, This ‘Charter’ outlines their recommendations in line with the challenges and opportunities that communities do not yet face, as well as those they do.