Suffolk 2017 ~ Housing

Years of under-investment and a complex planning system have led to a national housing shortage. The country has built very little social housing and too few private rented or owned houses. The shortage is made worse by a growing population and social change. People are living longer and often live in one-parent families. We must attract new people to staff our vital industries.

There is an urgent need for more homes for local people, and young people must be able to obtain their first home at a price they can afford.

There is a need for private and social rented housing for those who don't wish to purchase.

Liberal Democrats will:

• Use the planning system, working with district councils, to encourage development that meets local needs especially for those having difficulty finding a suitable place to live, but also recognising the need to keep Suffolk a special place to live and work.
• Establish a Suffolk Housing Task Force to identify the critical infrastructure needs, like schools, roads and utilities, to unlock the housing potential of the county.
• Set up an investment fund, from the Tory reserves stockpile, to ensure that housing developments include plans for school places, roads, parking, green spaces, cycle routes, employment and protect the environment.