One Million New Affordable Homes by 2017

6.56.41pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 11th Jul 2007

Sir Menzies Campbell pledges one million new affordable homes by 2017

Over one and a half million people are in need of housing in the UK. The problems of run away house price inflation are well known. There is not enough affordable housing or social housing to cope with the demand. When housing is built, too often it is of the wrong type.

We need more social and/or affordable housing desperately. My party, the Liberal Democrats want to see 100, 000 additional affordable houses constructed every year for the next 10 years. We would introduce equity mortgages to ensure the benefits of these social houses can be passed on. Also we are keen on smaller social housing developments which can integrate with private housing more easily.

But we are not in favour of building just anywhere. In Rodborough the Rugby Club grounds at Fromehall Park are under threat of housing. Stroud Liberal Democrats would regret the loss of this vital green space. We believe the plan to develop a new site for the Rugby Club in Eastington is deeply flawed. Our housing proposals do not include building on urban green spaces such as this one.

Tackling the housing crisis is not going to be easy. Government is going to have to take steps that won't be popular with everyone, but with 1,500,000 plus people waiting to be housed we have to get our act together.