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Affordable Housing in the South-West
07 September 2021
Lead MP
David Warburton
Somerton and Frome
Con
Responding Minister
Not recorded
Tags
Housing
Word Count: 3985
Other Contributors: 4
At a Glance
David Warburton raised concerns about affordable housing in the south-west in Westminster Hall. Response awaited from government.
Key Requests to Government:
I urge the Government to address the housing shortage in rural areas by investing in public land for affordable homes, increasing funding for sustainable home building, and allowing greater flexibility in developers' decisions on property tenures. Additionally, I ask the Minister to work with his colleagues at DEFRA to resolve the phosphorus neutrality issue affecting housing development in Somerset.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
I am concerned about the lack of affordable housing supply in my constituency, particularly for young people. The housing market has been exacerbated by the pandemic with house prices rising by an average of 8.4% over the past year, with some areas seeing a rise of more than 20%. This situation is leading to overcrowding, homelessness, and preventing many from owning their own homes.
Jack Lopresti
Con
Filton and Bradley Stoke
Congratulated the hon. Friend on securing a very important debate, expressing concern about an instinctive opposition from MPs to planning applications for new homes and advocating for enthusiasm towards new home provision as Conservatives.
East Devon
My hon. Friend raises a crucial point about the mismatch between housing demand and supply, suggesting that other measures are needed besides increasing house building. She also highlights the need for planning applications to be seen in the round while preserving the beauty of rural areas.
Selaine Saxby
Lab
Torridge and West Devon
Thanked the hon. Friend for securing the debate, highlighting issues with second homes in coastal constituencies becoming Airbnbs leading to ghost towns in winters.
Steve Double
Con
Cornwall West
Congratulated the hon. Friend on securing the debate, noting an incredible increase in housing demand in the south-west over many years and questioning whether building enough houses to meet this demand is feasible.
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Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.