Cross-party support for more affordable homes in the South West
MPs and local authorities from our region are supporting the delivery of more quality, affordable and sustainable housing across South West England.
“Building new homes, affordable to local employees, will support the regional recovery in the South West, enabling people to live near their place of work, whilst driving construction supply chains and creating new jobs in the future.”
Jacob Rees-Mogg, MP for North East Somerset
“I was pleased to meet with Homes for the South West to discuss how housing associations can play a part in levelling up the South West’s economy. It’s clear that good quality, affordable and sustainable housing is urgently needed across our region and I look forward to working with the group to highlight this as a priority.”
Sir Gary Streeter, MP for South West Devon
“In Bristol, like many other parts of the South West, we have some of the richest areas in the country next door to some of the poorest. Private rents have continued to increase and homelessness is on the rise. While local authorities across the region are working with Housing Associations to build affordable properties for social rent and shared ownership, more support is needed from Government to accelerate these programmes and ensure that everyone has a safe and secure place to live. It’s essential that we take a long-term approach to this and, in particular, ensure that these new homes are warm and environmentally sustainable for the future.”
Darren Jones, MP for Bristol North West
“I’ve long been a vocal supporter of the need for more affordable housing in Plymouth. We need homes that are truly affordable for local people, particularly social rent, and built in the right places – this means in rural areas as well as in urban centres. This has been much talked about in recent years and now is the time to deliver change. During the pandemic house prices and private rents have continued to rise in our region and I’d like to see real, urgent measures to build more genuinely affordable homes. This investment would boost the local economy, build more homes and create new jobs and apprenticeships – I’m strongly in favour of acting now to make this happen.”
Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
“I am really pleased to see local housing associations ready to play a part in levelling up the South West’s economy by building much needed new homes and creating new jobs, skills, and investment. Particularly in our coastal towns and villages there is an urgent affordability issue, with very few genuinely affordable homes available to rent or buy for members of the local North Devon community. We need more good quality, affordable, and sustainable housing across our region and I am ready to work with the group to highlight this as a priority.”
Selaine Saxby, MP for North Devon
“It is hugely important to deliver housing which is genuinely affordable for local people. Too many people are struggling to rent, and building more quality social housing which is affordable and sustainable is key to meeting our housing needs. More social housing will also generate jobs and investment and help ensure that the South West’s economy can bounce back stronger following the pandemic.”
Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset
“The shortage of affordable housing in the South West is constraining our region’s economic growth. We need to ensure we have a good supply of truly affordable homes so that all of our communities can flourish. If we are to truly level-up, social and affordable rented homes like those provided by Homes for the South West will have a significant role to play.”
Wera Hobhouse, MP for Bath
“I’m acutely aware of the shortage of affordable, sustainable and social housing in East Devon. Wages are often lower than a mortgage or commercial rent demands locally and increased interest in the South West is taking away the opportunity of a proper home for many local people. We must find a better balance between the need for new homes in sustainable and connected places and legitimate concerns about overdevelopment. Good quality, affordable and sustainable housing can play a key role in levelling up the South West’s economy.”
Simon Jupp, MP for East Devon
“I’m passionate about the need for more and better housing in my constituency and across the South West region. Measures to boost the rate of development will provide more local families with good quality, secure homes in the communities where they want to remain. Construction helps our economy, creating investment and supporting skills and apprenticeships. This is an issue I’m happy to get behind, it’s imperative that we speak out about this loud and clear and address the housing crisis for future generations.”
Jack Lopresti, MP for Filton and Bradley Stoke
“Delivering affordable housing for local people is an absolute priority of mine. It’s excellent to see local housing associations delivering the quality, affordable housing that is desperately needed in our region to meet local housing need. Supplying these homes will also help generate jobs and investment for the South West’s economy so that we can bounce back stronger after the pandemic.”
Scott Mann, MP for North Cornwall
“It was good to meet with Homes for the South West and discuss their plans for the area. Housing is the lifeblood of South Swindon and we need to ensure that we get the right balance to ensure people can afford to own their own home. That’s why the Government is investing over £12 billion in affordable housing over five years, which is the largest investment in a decade. I look forward to seeing the South West benefit from this investment.”
Robert Buckland, MP for South Swindon
“It is crucial that we provide people with good quality, affordable and sustainable houses in the right locations, especially for young people who have grown up in local communities, so they can continue to be part of these communities. There are 11,508 existing permissions in North Somerset but the build-out rate average is 808 houses per year. It is time that we start to convert existing permissions into much needed homes. This must not, however, be allowed to happen on greenbelt land. I am ready to work with interested groups like Homes for the South West to highlight this as a priority.”
Dr Liam Fox, MP for North Somerset
“I am a huge advocate for building more affordable, good quality and sustainable houses and I’m ready to support groups like Homes for the South West to deliver this. Affordable housing will play a critical role in the country’s post-pandemic recovery, which I was pleased to learn is at the centre of the group’s plans.”
Johnny Mercer, MP for Plymouth, Moor View
“I deal with large volumes of casework for constituents in social housing that does not meet the needs of their families, we need to do more to ensure those on low incomes are housed in appropriate accommodation that is near to schools, employment and their families. Ensuring we deliver affordable housing for local people is an absolute priority of mine and the Government’s. That is why the Government are investing £12 billion into affordable homes over 5 years. I look forward to working with local housing associations as well as the local council to explore what more can be done for the people of Chippenham constituency.”
Michelle Donelan, MP for Chippenham
“I was pleased to meet with local housing associations to discuss the need for more affordable homes. A large portion of casework I deal with for constituents relates to housing and I firmly believe that we need to deliver truly affordable housing to ensure people can afford to buy their own home. Supplying good quality affordable homes will also help generate jobs and investment in the South West and help us bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Anne Marie Morris, MP for Newton Abbot
“I was pleased to meet with Homes for the South West and discuss the need for more affordable housing in the South West. Building good quality, affordable and sustainable housing in the right places is a top priority for me. I look forward to working with groups like Homes for the South West to ensure that we are providing beautiful, affordable and environmentally friendly homes where they are needed most.”
Siobhan Baillie, MP for Stroud
“It is vital that more truly affordable good quality housing is delivered for local people where it’s needed most. In order for us to genuinely level up we need to improve social housing and provide secure homes where people want to live. I want to work with groups like Homes for the South West in order to help make this a reality in our region, with house building also supporting our economy, creating investment and supporting skills.”
Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset
“Tackling the shortage of affordable housing for local residents in St Austell and Newquay is a key priority of mine. I am delighted to work with organisations such as Homes for the South West to discuss constructive ways of increasing affordable housing stock in the right locations across Cornwall. Recent urban regeneration projects in my constituency have been very encouraging and I am pleased to note Homes for the South West’s track record in repurposing brownfield sites to provide much needed housing.”
Steve Double, MP for St Austell and Newquay
“I was very glad to meet Homes for the South West to discuss the affordability of social housing and the impact of second homes and holiday lets on rural communities. These are very familiar but important subjects, which Devon MPs meet regularly to discuss. I fully support the need for Housing Associations to build more affordable homes and assist in the regeneration of our communities and I look forward to collaborating with Homes for the South West to help deliver more affordable housing for constituents.”
Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Cox, MP for Torridge and West Devon
“Bristol City Council is committed to achieving greater access to housing for our communities by developing new homes and delivering more affordable and social rent properties alongside our strong commitment to securing low-carbon, accessible and adaptable homes. As part of this commitment, we look forward to working with groups such as Homes for the South West who share our ambition to enable our most vulnerable residents to access good quality housing which meets their needs. We are working to make this a reality for all the people of Bristol who find themselves in need of housing, including through our pledge to deliver 1,000 new affordable homes a year by 2024.”
Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes, Bristol City Council
“One of our key housing priorities for the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole area is to meet future growth needs through the delivery of additional much needed homes. The delivery of good quality affordable housing as part of this is key to address the housing needs of many households who are on our housing register. We absolutely support multi-agency efforts to increase the delivery of affordable homes for our residents.”
Councillor Robert Lawton, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
“It is clear that the provision of new housing, whilst receiving a significant boost in recent years, is not yet meeting the Country’s needs. There are clear environmental and economic benefits to delivering more housing and by focusing on more social and affordable housing, the benefits will provide a timely and much needed boost to our communities across the South West. The right kind of housing in the right places can promote Inclusive growth, help to tackle inequalities and support health and wellbeing by making neighbourhoods, especially in our rural areas, more resilient. It is imperative that we build good quality new homes alongside investment in our existing housing stock, especially those that are poorly heated and insulated”
Councillor Cathy Martyn, Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, Swindon Borough Council
“Plymouth City Council are committed to delivering new homes that are truly affordable. As our Plan for Homes sets out, we will support the delivery of 1,000 new homes per year over the next five years, made possible in-part due to releasing more land for housing – something which we encourage other Local Authorities to replicate. Regenerating older housing stock will also be important as we look to deliver the housing that the city needs, and we look forward to continuing to build strong partnerships with organisations such as Housing Associations to fulfil these housing targets.”
Plymouth City Council
“Torbay Council recognises the importance of ensuring that good quality, affordable houses, including those for social rent, are built in the right locations. We look forward to working with partners such as Housing Associations to ensure local housing need is met, as well as to support the added benefit housing construction brings by creating employment opportunities for local people and bringing substantial investment into the local economy.”
Cllr Steve Darling, Leader of Torbay Council
“We understand the urgent need for more genuinely affordable housing in and around Exeter. We’re currently consulting on our new Local Plan to deliver our Liveable Exeter Vision’, which will deliver 12,000 homes on 9 strategic sites over next 20 years. It’s clear that more good quality, affordable and sustainable housing is needed in our region and we look forward to working with local housing associations, including those from within Homes for the South West, to explore how we might work together to support delivery.”
Exeter City Council
