Last week I undertook a week-long tour of my wonderful constituency, visiting 44 locations over five days. The tour provided an excellent opportunity to raise concerns and I met with hundreds of residents wanting to discuss issues ranging from potholes to serious health concerns. However, a prevalent issue for many residents was housing and planning.
Housing is a problem. It is estimated we need between 232,000 and 300,000 additional new housing units in England per year; a level not seen since the late 1970s, well in excess of our current buildout rate. Since 2010 this Government has delivered over 217,000 new affordable homes but there still remains a divergence between the supply and the demand for housing, impacting on rural areas like East Anglia.
Despite recent reports of rising house prices in Suffolk, due to both London investors and relatively tight supply, a 2016 report from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) suggests the opposite may occur in London and East Anglia over the coming year. Yet, on the doorstep, I heard worries over local planning applications, especially some new developments which might not appear to be in the interest of the local community.
Whatever the view, the reality is we need more housing, particularly affordable housing for those aspiring to get their first home. Whilst I agree that this should not be at the expense of local communities, a compromise must be found. Development should be proportionate, of the right type and tenure, and local communities need to be kept informed. A 2015 study found over 85% of residents in East Anglia support housebuilding on brownfield sites; this government has been funding Housing Zone, transforming brownfield sites into new housing and creating a further 95,000 new homes.
Nevertheless, house building on farmland is often the first option, particularly in our region, where appropriate residential housing or community care homes allow people to downsize but stay in their villages. Recent research has shown that average house prices in three out of four rural areas far outweigh salaries, with demand exceeding supply. In order to remain close to our families and communities, we must have available housing.
Furthermore, new housing developments have the potential to drive forward rural infrastructure but, two major problems must first be tackled - village roads and broadband. Bringing together councils, developers and local business to deliver the infrastructure we need, will boost existing areas and work to overcome the rural challenges we face.
However I believe that people make communities and new housing must still remain in the interest of the existing community. Neighbourhood Plans are an essential tool for local residents to have their say; informing and shaping applications. Furthermore, I would advocate rural housebuilding uses local builders and material supplies, especially to protect the vernacular architecture of the area.
Nevertheless, by finding the balance between building more houses and protecting the interests of our local areas, we can drive forward our local economy and keep our communities vibrant.
Published in the East Anglian Daily Times