Councillors say lack of affordable homes is reaching crisis point

Several Shropshire Councillors have condemned the lack of activity by Shropshire Council and Local Housing Associations as the lack of affordable homes reaches crisis point with between 6,000 and 7,000 families in need of homes in the County.

Heather Kidd, Councillor for Chirbury and Worthen, said: “Across Shropshire more and more families are facing a future without a long-term home. House prices are rising and many private landlords with rented houses are cashing in on the house price bonanza removing even more available homes from the rental sector. In other areas, families are being evicted to provide holiday homes for the ever-increasing ‘Staycations’”.

Ruth Houghton, Councillor for Bishops Castle added: “It is so disappointing that Shropshire has so many long-term empty houses. For example Housing Associations in South Shropshire have around 68 houses empty and needing refurbishment. Many have been empty for months, others for years. There are no dates for the builders to even start work. Examples of this are in More, Lydham and Bishop’s Castle, exactly the places where people want to live”.

“There are also examples where people have been evicted by private landlords as the house is being sold and of people in crisis offered temporary accommodation away from the area so that families and individuasl are cut off from their local community, schools and support networks. In some instances B and B or Travel lodges are being used as temporary accommodation which is neither suitable or sustainable.”

“In the South West of the County the ability to buy a home is simply unattainable. To buy a house in say Bishop’s Castle people need to borrow 11 to 12 times the average local wage and this is rising. Rental is the only option and the private rented sector rent has also inflated over the last year.

“Shropshire Council and all our housing providers must work in closer partnership to make sure these houses are let in weeks rather than in years. Our people deserve stable homes as quickly as possible.”

Cllr Heather Kidd said: “I am deeply disturbed that housing is being sold off when land is difficult and expensive to build on. The house for sale in Oakfield Cottages, Brockton would cost less than £80,000 to do up it would cost them far more to build a new house, find and buy the land and take far longer for a family to be housed. Bishop’s Castle and Clun Division have also had social rented housing sold.”

“We simply do not have the luxury of years to build more affordable housing to rent and buy. The problem is with us now and rapidly getting worse. Now is the time for Shropshire Council to work with Housing providers and developers and use reserves to build for our residents even if it means scrapping the North West Relief road!”