Last week, in Parliament, the Prime Minister and the Housing Minister announced plans to ensure everyone can get a stake in our housing market and a stake in society.
The Government plans to overhaul planning so that everyone’s housing needs can be met, whether they are renting or looking to buy a home of their own.
In Telford, a rapidly expanding New Town which is 50 years old, we have our share of housing difficulties, whether it is social housing, the private rental sector, houses of multiple occupation or freeholders’ rights in the new build sector.
Some parts of the original New Town housing estates, built rapidly and often poorly designed, such Woodside and Sutton Hill are now in a state of neglect and disrepair. Whilst some owner-occupied properties are well looked after, others owned by rogue private landlords are in a state of decay and not fit for habitation.
We need a long-term plan for regenerating these estates, some homes will not last another 10 years. We must start now to determine how this regeneration can be funded.
On our new build estates such as Lawley Village, infrastructure and maintenance of communal areas is not keeping pace with development. Residents pay a maintenance fee, but as the developers sometimes fail to finish a phase, maintenance is not always carried out.
It is vital that everyone in Telford has a place to live and call home. Homes will always be more than simply building houses. A sustainable community with adequate infrastructure must be at the heart of future plans to build more homes.
Many people in Telford aspire to own their own home and work hard to take that first step onto the property ladder. I am pleased that this Government is committed to continuing to help people take this important step. People want that sense of self determination and security that home ownership or long term secure rental provides.
That is why I am pleased the Government is prioritising housing, not just for young people and families, but it is also acting to help older people and encouraging more affordable homes.
These reforms will ensure landlords offer longer tenancies and promote more homes for rent on a family-friendly basis, whilst also taking radical action to tackle homelessness.
This is a hugely important domestic policy and I will do my bit to ensure Government delivers on these housing commitments.
Image - Lawley Village, Telford