Linda Gilroy, MP for Plymouth Sutton, yesterday launched a report detailing a six-month enquiry into the housing situation in Plymouth.

The Rt Hon Caroline Flint MP, Minister of State for Housing, was present to learn about the report's findings.

This report was the result of Linda’s meeting with a constituent, a young mother, whose family had moved five times in five years due to the situation in the private rented sector. Linda subsequently put together a team of people knowledgeable about housing to work with her on  a “select committee” style enquiry. They met with the government’s Housing Minister at the outset of the process; evidence was then sought from a wide variety of organisations and the group quizzed council experts, local developers, community leaders, civil servants and representatives of Shelter. 

The enquiry heard that there were clear problems for many people who had not already got their foot on the housing ladder and that home ownership was beyond the means of growing numbers of young people.  Concerns were raised about the potential problems that a stalling of the housing market could create and about what “affordable housing” meant in reality.

Some of the suggestions included in the report are the potential to develop Plymouth’s pilot Local Housing Company to include the creation of a Community Land Trust, which would provide a more permanent answer to affordable housing. The report also says there is a need to identify and spread best practice in effective voluntary “downsizing” schemes to help those that want to move to find more suitable housing, and to ensure that communities are fully involved with the development of new sites in their areas.

You can download the full report here:

“Plymouth has a good track record on this,” said Mrs Gilroy “Schemes like those developed with the East End Renewal Trust which include extra care and shared equity housing, are truly leading the way in the UK, and we have a good message to give the Housing Minister and the new Homes and Communities Agency on this. There is also a need to recognise the role that the private rented sector plays and to value it, while seeking changes to ensure better security of tenure".

“Plymouth has a lot of challenges ahead of course, but I am confident that all political parties, and indeed all players in the local housing arena know how serious this issue is for the City, and are working hard to identify land and properties for development. I know too that the officers of the Council are willing to keep an open mind and to look at any and every opportunity to help".

25 June 2008

Above: Housing Minister Caroline Flint discusses the housing inquiry's findings.

Above: Launching the report.