Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomes Linda Gilroy’s commitment to tackle affordable housing in
Plymouth
Linda Gilroy MP for Plymouth Sutton today met with Prime Minister Gordon Brown to discuss a number of issues raised by her constituents. These included:
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The Naval Base Review (particularly release of land following the review and additional issues).
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South West Water Charges, and the prospect of tackling affordability in the next regulatory period.
Linda said “Affordable housing is an absolute priority for so many hard working Plymouth families whether they want to buy or to rent. There are local and national
plans in place to help, and these will see a step change in supply – with 3 million new homes by 2020 (20-30,000 within Plymouth), but we need to do more. Especially to help with affordable homes
for families who cannot afford to buy and find themselves renting in the less secure private sector.
I recently met one woman who had moved her family of five children, five times, in five years. This is not good for family life and I will be putting together a team of people
to review what more we need to do to meet the needs of families like this. This team will also look at how we can help people make that first step into the lower reaches of the housing
ladder.
Homes to buy in Plymouth are typically four/five times the total income of households with two full time workers. Workers who are already hard pressed, especially with our
extra high water bills.
I will then draw on the advice of the team to prepare a full report which will be fed back to the National Policy Forum, and to the
Government”
Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed Linda’s commitment to develop a detailed understanding of how local plans currently serve her constituents and he
commented:
“This was a very useful meeting and I look forward to seeing Linda’s further report, and welcome the chance to see the extent to which national
policies are able to meet the needs of fast growing cities like Plymouth.”
Above: Plymouth Sutton MP Linda gilroy meets the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP.
10 October 2007
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