MP asks Housing Minister to give Cumbrian councils the power to make sure new homes are affordable

On the floor of House of Commons this week, local MP Tim Farron asked Housing Minister Rushanara Ali to give local councils and national park authorities the power to increase the number of affordable homes in Cumbria.

During the last Parliament, Tim put forward an amendment to the Levelling Up bill which would allow local planning authorities to insist that 100% of homes in a proposed housing development were affordable.

The amendment received support from Labour MPs on the Levelling Up bill committee at the time, but was voted down by Conservative MPs.

Speaking during Housing Oral Questions in Parliament on Monday, Tim said: "Rural homelessness has risen by 40% in just the last five years. In our communities, that is massively fed by the fact that average house prices are about 12 times above local incomes, as well as insufficient local housing. 

“Does the Minister agree that we need to give planning powers to local authorities and national parks, so that they can designate exclusively for social rented housing and developments that therefore cannot be used for expensive housing for which, frankly, there is no need?”

In response, Rushanara Ali MP said: “We have an ambitious plan for affordable and social housing, which fits within the Government’s commitment to build 1.5 million homes. It is vital to make supply available. 

“We are putting in funding, including £500 million for the affordable homes programme, which will build 5,000 properties.

“The honourable Gentleman is aware of the work we are doing to ensure that there is a proper and effective national planning framework to go hand in hand with local work with local authorities. “I hope he can see that we are very much working in the spirit of ensuring that we increase supply, provide affordable and social housing, and tackle the root causes that need to be addressed.”