New evidence of continuing housing crisis in Maidstone
Support for a major house building programme is urgently needed in Maidstone to alleviate the local affordable housing crisis, says Maidstone Housing Trust.
The National Housing Federation has published South East Home Truths: The real cost of housing 2007-2012, an annual update of official key housing facts and figures in the South East. The report shows that the lack of affordable homes in the region is resulting in a rapidly escalating housing crisis.
- The income needed for a mortgage for the average house price in Maidstone is currently nearly three times the average local income.
South East Home Truths: The real cost of housing 2007 – 2012 includes house price forecasts for the next five years. The figures show that affordability is going to worsen drastically as house prices across the South East are set to increase by a further 51% to an average of nearly £400,000 by 2012.
Maidstone Housing Trust Chief Executive Peter Stringer said “These figures show the extent of the housing problem – there are not enough new homes in the town for the people who want to live here, and our local young people cannot afford to buy a new home. Without public support for more affordable housing developments, this situation is just going to get worse. We are confident that with local support we can develop 200 new affordable homes per year over the next ten years to help meet local housing needs”.
Derek Cash, Head of South Region for the National Housing Federation, said:
“We are heartened by the Government’s Green Paper and promise of additional funding for affordable housing,” said Mr Cash. “But local and regional political support for house building campaigns is also required in order to deliver the homes the South East so desperately needs.”
“Local communities should also support planning applications, which will offer a lifeline to youngsters who want to live in their own area by providing rented and shared ownership housing,” said Mr Cash.
He added that politicians of all parties saw this issue as a major priority but it was now time for them all to “turn their words into real action.”
South East Home Truths - the real cost of housing 2007 - 2012 (this is a PDF file)
date published: 19/10/2007