The UK’s rural areas could be on the brink of a population boom, with growth set to outpace urban regions by 2050, according to a new report released today.
Commissioned by leading Altnet, Fibrus and authored by Applied Futurist, Tom Cheesewright, The Future of Rural report predicts that in the next 25 years, the UK’s rural areas will become hotspots for entreprenurial excellence thanks to AI technology developments, improved digital infrastructure and connectivity and expansion of the metaverse.
Key predictions from the report include:
- Rural population growth to continue to outpace cities by 2050.
- Digital tech and AI drive remote work shift, with the number of people working for rural businesses increasing from 14% to 20%.
- Start-up founders, freelancers and remote workers will opt for countryside living in the face of ‘return to office mandates’.
- Improved infrastructure will reduce the outflow of young people and older residents, helping maintain a balanced age profile in rural areas.
The current so-called ‘return to office’ panic will prove to be a short-lived blip, Cheesewright predicts. Advances in digital infrastructure, AI and modern management techniques coupled with ubiquitous full fibre broadband will enable the shift back to remote working and a resurgence of rural lifestyles as the disadvantages of distance continuing to diminish.
Developments in the metaverse and artificial intelligence are the main players when it comes to finding a balance that works for both companies and employees wanting to relocate out of the city.
Rural expansion is predicted to be heavily influenced by remote workers leveraging full fibre broadband to access increasingly rich forms of digital interaction. A key prediction by Cheesewright is the mainstream use of the metaverse collaborations and tools, as we see virtual and mixed reality meeting rooms and creative tools replace the traditional keyboard, mouse and video calls. Entering the world of a collective virtual and augmented reality will see people collaborate with each other and digital objects in real time using avatars.
Enabling a trusted remote working environment, new AI technology will give leaders better insight into their workforce, analysing real and richer measures of productivity and value than might be superficially obvious, fundamentally stripping away repetitive admin and refocusing on the parts of work that are uniquely human.
In 2050, the report forecasts that many organisations will be smaller, with more automation and small and micro enterprises will become even more dominant as a proportion of the economy. Larger rural centres will become key start-up locations for entrepreneurs seeking to balance work and life quality, creating rural hubs of connectivity and productivity. Fast forward 25 years, Tom claims revised planning rules will have encouraged developers to sympathetically expand rural areas, creating housing for all ages and life stages. Amenities will return and grow, with bus routes reinstated, surgeries reopened and local shops and pubs thriving once more.
Areas of natural appeal will see the highest population growth by 2050. Coastal towns, lakeside villages and regions of outstanding beauty are predicted to attract not only new residents but also retain young people who might otherwise leave in search of work and housing. Older residents are staying too, thanks to improved access to amenities, resulting in rural population working age ratio mirroring the national average.
Tom Cheesewright, author, said: “By 2050, full time compulsory office work will be a thing of the past as technology advancements make it a no-brainer for both companies and employees to leverage a flexible working policy, resulting in a population boom for the UK’s rural towns and regions.
“This is not a repeat of the lockdown-era rush to the countryside. Instead, it is a steady and sustained flow of people from the late 2020s onwards, as the catalyst is not a fleeting trend but rather a fundamental shift in how we work, powered by futuristic technologies and a reimagining of workplace culture.”
Dominic Kearns, CEO and Co-Founder, Fibrus said: “Far from being left behind, rural communities across the UK are poised for a resurgence, driven by the rapid evolution of digital infrastructure, AI technologies and full fibre broadband connectivity.
“At Fibrus, we’ve long believed that rural areas hold the key to a more balanced and sustainable future. We’ve seen first-hand how Gigabit-capable broadband can spark innovation, fuel entrepreneurship, and drive economic growth. In fact, an economic impact report found that Project Stratum could deliver up to £50.6 million in annual productivity gains for Northern Ireland alone through full fibre access.
This is why we committed to investing in research that explores how these developments can reshape rural life and ensure these communities thrive well into 2050 and beyond.”