Help Councils Build Homes Says Lorely Burt
January 29, 2010 12:00 AM
Originally published by Lorely Burt MP
Originally published by Lorely Burt MP
Lorely Burt, MP for Solihull, has put her support behind a bill going through parliament which seeks to allow council to build more social housing.
The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (Amendment) Bill, tabled by Simon Hughes, seeks to write into law a provision to allow councils to use money they receive from developers to build or improve social housing.
At present, councils are restricted to using the money to fund infrastructure projects or community projects - even where infrastructure is already of a high standard. This restriction has led to some cases where money has been used to finance projects of marginal importance.
In Solihull, there is a social housing crisis with too few homes and many of them in a state of disrepair.
The bill will allow councils such as Solihull to use existing and future streams of income from developers to carry out urgent renovations to local housing stock or to build new homes.
Lorely said:
"With 12,842 people on the housing register in Solihull as of October 2009 we need to ensure there are greater opportunities for the council to increase the social housing stock. The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (Amendment) Bill does just that"
"In today's tough financial times councils need new and innovative ways of funding the repairs and new homes that Silhillians urgently need."
"New developments often cause disruption and grief for existing local residents who can't understand why they often get no help to improve their own housing or to see more new affordable homes built in the local community. Simon's bill will change this."
"If the bill becomes law everyone is a winner. It will help councils fund urgent improvements to local housing, and help individuals and families who are waiting for a home or improvement of their home to have the decent housing they need."
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