An ICM survey, commissioned by the National Housing Federation, found that 45% of people living in rural areas had seen the number of shops, schools and pubs in their village or market town fall since 2004.

It also found that 62% of rural dwellers believe there is a shortage of affordable housing in their area, and that 66% of those polled would support the building of new affordable homes where they live.

The survey also found that almost half of those in the countryside, 47%, believe that people who oppose all new homes in rural areas are damaging the future of their village or market town.

The survey paints a gloomy picture of life in rural England, with one in four, 24%, saying that the sense of community in their village had declined over the same period, while 26% said second home owners have had a negative impact on the place in which they lived.

A sizeable majority (66%) meanwhile believes the Government cares more about issues affecting people living in urban areas than those in the countryside.

The National Housing Federation, which represents England?s housing associations, said the results of the poll reflected growing fears that many rural communities were now in terminal decline and called on more affordable homes to be built for families to support village life.

A record 650 pubs and 400 shops are due to close in rural areas this year, while village schools continue to disappear from the rural landscape at a rate of one a month.

The Federation said the mass closures reflected a declining demand for services in villages where local families, the core customer base, had been priced out of the area by an influx of wealthy commuters and second home owners.

The number of people on waiting lists for an affordable home in rural England, where house prices are £40,000 higher than urban areas, has rocketed to 750,000.