Letter on rural housing, from R Persey in Devon

Good morning,

Mr Mark Wooding, a prospective Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate, recently wrote about the lack of rural social housing. He states that local Liberal Democrat councils are committed to building more social housing. We have a Liberal Democrat controlled council (EDDC) that appears not to want more affordable rural housing. A two acre plot in the centre of a village, with good transport links, has recently been offered for affordable housing. A Housing Association identified that the site would carry twelve affordable homes. Because the site was being offered FOC, the Housing Association would put £90,000.00 in the community pot. This would pay for a much needed car park, playing field, open space and much more.

EDDC told the Housing Association that there was not enough affordable housing need. The council requires need to be identified by an expensive Housing Needs Survey which is posted to all families living in the parish, who already have a home!!

The survey does not go to families who work in the parish but live away. The survey does not go to people who previously lived in the parish or who have family connections. Families are reluctant to disclose detailed personal information for a survey which is unlikely to lead to a new home. However, they will reveal this same information to acquire a place on a Council Housing Waiting List, which might lead to a home.

A recent FOI request revealed over 5,000 desperate families on the EDDC Housing Waiting List with 18 families eligible for affordable housing in our parish.

I recently addressed the EDDC Strategic Planning Committee and suggested that EDDC should engage in a debate as to whether numbers on the Housing Waiting List could define need for affordable rural housing. Nobody was interested.

We have many NIMBYS in our midst and their vote at election time appears more important than desperate families needing a home.

Yours sincerely,
R Persey
Devon