'Report highlights housing crisis' says Farron

Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has called on the Government to create a county wide affordable housing strategy after a major report showed that we are facing a housing crisis.

In South Lakeland, the average annual rent takes up 45% of the average income. In Eden its 49% of income and in Furness its 34%. The National Housing Federation (NHF) say that the housing market in Cumbria will become "unsustainable" by 2020.

NHF said that average house price in England had soared by 94% between 2001 and 2011 - taking it up from £121,769 to £236,518.

Late last year Tim and the NHF launched a report called Home Truths about the acute housing crisis in South Cumbria and the FurnessPeninsula. The report concluded that nearly 5,000 families in Furness and South Lakeland are on the social housing waiting list.

At the current rate it would take a colossal 66,458 years to clear the backlog of people on housing waiting lists within the county.

The issue is compounded by the fact that average house costs outside the national park are nine times local peoples average wages. Inside the national park the disparity is much higher.

Tim said: "This latest report from the National Housing Federation has helped again put on paper what we sadly already knew. There is a chronic need for housing in our area. I want all of Cumbria's MPs to now come together and push for a coordinated government strategy. We need to work tirelessly to put a roof over every family's head.

"But we need the right kind of housing - social housing, truly affordable housing and social rented properties. I will continue to do all I can to push the Government and others to do more for local families and I will continue to champion the need for truly affordable homes in areas with the support of local communities. Much has been done but as this report shows there is much, much more left to do."