Housing - responding to the ridiculous

A topic that dominates many council meetings. This is not a party political piece, but a defence against some of the comments made by those who have not taken the time to read just a few bits of the evidence studied over recent years.



It comes after comments were made on the gazette website (HERE) in response to an article. I have no great issue with the article, it was simply stating fact - new homes need to go somewhere.

Amongst councillors there is a difference of opinion over the number of homes needed, based on the importance given to varying bits of evidence. On where the homes are built there is a far greater difference not just between the political groups but, in the case of the Conservatives, within the group.


What everyone has accepted is the need for more homes and the main cause of it. It is not immigration. This offensive idea that "if everyone goes back to the country they came from the problem is solved" seems to have overlooked the fact that a similar number of Britain's live abroad.


I don't remember the detail, but when the borough population was looked at a few years ago emigration and immigration pretty much cancelled each other out.


The reality is household sizes have got smaller. So the same population need more houses.


Even for those who look for the 'broken society' and family breakdown as the cause will be disappointed to learn that it hardly changes the housing need numbers. It is just that people are living longer.


They say 60 is the new 40. And it's justified. Medical advances and healthier living have created a whole new generation of 'great grandparents'. And as they still need their homes, we have to build new ones for the next generation.




On top of that we have a backlog of some 6000 families needing a more suitable home to consider. And as the ever growing generation of great grandparents look to enjoy their deserved retirement, who will provide the services they need? How many young families do we need to attract to the borough to keep it going? Let us not forget that it was the Conservatives, backed by Labour, voted through the Councils vision for 'growth' further fuelling the need for more homes.




The exact number of new homes is disputed and where they're built will be an even tougher choice. But the reality is building more homes is the only realistic solution to both the national and local housing crisis.