They say extending the right-to-buy to cover social housing will hit the countryside disproportionately hard.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), the County Land and Business Association (CLA) and the National Parks Association are among those calling for a complete exemption for countryside areas.

“We are very concerned that the stock of affordable housing, built up over many years, will be lost,” said Dr Nigel Stone chief executive of Exmoor National Park Authority.

The policy looks set to be implemented voluntarily by housing associations under a proposal put forward by the National Housing Federation.

The plan would mean that there would be a presumption in favour of sale in most circumstances but housing associations would retain some discretion.

But the rural groups have now called for a total exemption for countryside areas.

The organisations, also including the Hastoe Housing Group, National Association of Local Councils, Action with Communities in Rural England, and the Rural Services Network, said a “portable discount” offered to tenants would not help rural areas.

They also warned landowners would be reluctant to offer land for social housing if there are no guarantees it will remain affordable and not be sold on within a few years. The groups said that 8% of rural housing was classed as affordable, compared with 20% in towns and cities.

Without a comprehensive rural exemption, this measure will make it harder to sustain mixed communities and local services such as shops and pubs, they said. …”