Labour's Affordable Housing Cop-Out

3.50.53pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 25th Oct 2007

Manchester's Liberal Democrats have criticised today's decision by the City Council to ignore its own research on affordable housing. The Labour Executive has agreed to introduce an affordable housing requirement of only 20%, even though a Council report recommended 30%.

Speaking on the issue at this morning's top-level Council Executive Committee meeting, Lib Dem Housing Spokesperson Councillor Iain Donaldson said:

"Manchester's housing crisis is not being tackled effectively by the Council. There are too few affordable homes to rent or to buy. There are around 27,000 people on the Council's Housing waiting list. Yet Labour are letting property developers off the hook."

Cllr Donaldson concluded:

'Manchester Liberal Democrats want to see an affordable housing target set at the full 30%. Anything less is simply not good enough. Property developers make huge profits building houses and apartments across the city. It is only right that the Council should set a challenging target for affordable housing, whilst still allowing developers to make a profit."

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