Lib Dems call for more Social Housing in South Manchester

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 14th Jul 2006

Withington Liberal Democrat MP John Leech has hit out at Manchester City Council and the Government for failing to secure enough much-needed social housing.

Hundreds of families are on ever-lengthening rehousing lists in South Manchester and yet multi-million private developments are all too often given the go-ahead without any requirement for developers to contribute towards social housing. Speaking during a Parliamentary debate, John Leech MP challenged the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Yvette Cooper, to condemn the City Council for not guaranteeing that a portion of land allowed for development be used for social housing.

The Minister admitted that it was not fair that most new housing schemes did not make any contribution to social housing or infrastructure.

 John Leech MP said:

"There are hundreds of families in Manchester Withington desperate for housing. They cannot afford the massive price tags put on new private developments. It is wrong that the Government sits back while Manchester City Council allow developers to make money hand over fist without contributing towards providing extra social housing in the area."

Lib Dem Councillor Tony Bethell added:

"I am inundated with letters and phone calls from residents of Chorlton Park Ward who are in dire straits. Often they have been on housing waiting lists for years whilst living in overcrowded conditions. The City Council should be using the Planning process to secure funding for affordable social housing for these families."

ENDS

Notes to editors: Text from House of Commons debate. Tues 4th July 2006:

John Leech (Manchester, Withington, Liberal Democrat):

Given that hundreds of families throughout south Manchester are waiting to be rehoused, will the Minister join me in condemning my local council's decision not to guarantee that a proportion of land set aside for development will be for social housing?

Yvette Cooper (Minister of State (Housing and Planning), Department for Communities and Local Government):

Obviously, I cannot comment on individual planning decisions taken by local authorities. However, I can say that we think that local authorities should look seriously at building requirements for social housing into their planning system and approach. It is interesting that of the 140,000 new homes that were built in 2004, some 100,000 were built with no developer contribution to social housing or infrastructure. That is not fair; there should be more contributions.