Housing Policy is a disaster

Posted on: 30th May 2015

Housing Policy is a disaster for Cornwall and the Country. At a time when the Housing crisis is constantly in the news because people can neither afford to buy nor rent decent homes in their own communities, extending the right to buy to Housing Association tenants is nonsensical! This combined with the dotty decision to say that developers seeking planning permission for 10 or less homes should not be required to contribute to affordable housing provision, for local people, will make it impossible to meet local housing needs. But this is the priority of our new Conservative majority Government.

Anyone sensible person can see that where councils have huge waiting lists for Social Housing, selling off the housing stock, at knock down prices, it not going to solve the problem. Also, think about the Housing Associations, as businesses. Most want to step up to the plate to meet local needs but the right to buy means they will not have control of their assets and this will make it harder for them to borrow to build the much needed new homes.

The past record of selling off council homes, despite Government promises, has failed to deliver for every home sold a new one will be built. Even if that was deliverable, here in Cornwall alone we have thousands of people wanting affordable homes to rent so having to put limited funds into replacing those sold off will reduce our ability to ever meet local housing needs.

For the Guardian assessment of the housing disaster, follow the link: Housing policy is a disaster – The Guardian

As Victor Meldrew would say “I don’t believe it!”