Local MP calls for a housing revolution in Stockport

5.13.49pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 14th Jun 2007

Today, Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell announced radical proposals to tackle the severe shortage of affordable housing in Stockport and across the country. Speaking with Lib Dem Party Leader, Sir Menzies Campbell at a Joseph Rowntree Conference, Mr Stunell mapped out a plan to create a million new affordable homes by 2020.

Mr Stunell said:

"There are over 7,000 families waiting for social housing in Stockport and one and a half million across the country. Labour have slashed the numbers of social homes built each year and waiting lists have spiralled.

"Meanwhile house prices have soared, affecting first time buyers and hard working families. In Stockport last year, house prices increased by almost double the increase in wages. There's no way most young people can afford that.

"These new proposals would be the most ambitious home-building programme in the UK for over a quarter of a century.

"This is the housing revolution that people in Stockport desperately need."

Notes to editors:

1. House prices in Stockport have grown by 7.92% in 2006 while earnings have only grown by 4.2%.

2. Liberal Democrat proposals include:

• Building 100,000 new affordable, social and low cost homes each year

• Devolving and reforming the planning system to make decisions faster and more effective for all parties

• Introducing equity mortgages to ensure that affordable housing is built and maintained for the benefit of generations of buyers

• Building smaller social housing developments which are integrated with private housing

• Cutting VAT on housing renovations and repairs

3. For further information on the Liberal Democrat proposals see www.libdems.org.uk.