Gary's views

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

LOCAL HOUSING

As I argued last week, banks need to review their lending policies following recent financial turbulence.

Unfortunately, one downside to this is that it will make things even tougher for our young people to get their foot on the housing ladder. I can remember my first mortgage: £11,250 that bought Jan and I a nice 2 bedroom terraced house in Mutley, with a pit of parental help on the deposit. I am not talking pre-historic times, but 1980. I was earning £4,800 in those days, so my mortgage was just over 2 times salary. If you earn £20,000 today and get a mortgage of 3 times salary, £60,000, add in a deposit, what will that buy you in Plympton, Plymstock or Ivybridge? Even with two salaries totalling £30,000, it only enables you to buy a place for £100,000 unless you have significant savings or a lot of parental help. No such houses exist in this area. The goalposts have moved in just 25 years, not least because this is such a great place to live that property prices have gone through the roof.

When I was first elected the attitude of most people, especially in the smaller towns and villages, was: over my dead body – no new housing. There has been a sea change. Most of us accept that it is now vital to provide the right amount of new development aimed at local youngsters – not least to keep our ageing communities alive.

Which brings me to Sherford. None of us wanted it, but we have got it – and it does at least provide an opportunity for local youngsters. There are massive problems, especially to the existing infrastructure, particularly roads.

But as we can’t stop it, it has to be done well, which is why I agreed months ago, to chair a quarterly meeting between the developers, the planners and local community groups to make sure that it was built in the best possible way. I will continue to do this.

My 3 rules for Sherford are: the impact on existing communities – especially our roads – must be minimal; the focus must be on affordable homes to buy for local youngsters, not outsiders; and the facilities have got to be put in at the same time as the houses – not as an afterthought.
This will be a long battle, but I am determined that we should make this new settlement solve this crisis for our young people.

posted by Nigel on Tuesday, October 09, 2007