Portsmouth Labour’s Plan for Affordable Housing.

As part of its submission to the ongoing Local Plan review consultation the Housing Policy Forum has recently published its Portsmouth Labour Plan for Affordable Housing. The Plan aims to tackle the city’s housing crisis by significantly increasing the supply of affordable homes.

The Plan revolves around three key themes:

1. Portsmouth City Council resources should be refocused away from the purchase of commercial property outside the city and towards investment in local affordable housing.
2. Any property developer who proposes to provide less affordable housing than required by local planning policy on grounds of financial viability should be required to publish their full workings and have these figures independently assessed by a public body.
3. Require new student accommodation to contribute towards local affordable housing provision.

Commenting on the publication local Labour Charles Dickens camapigner Cal Corkery said:

“The proposals contained within this report represent a radical shift in local housing policy towards a strategy that benefits the many, not just the few.

With the Tories in power Portsmouth City Council has allowed property developers to ignore local affordable housing policies while the administration is busy buying up commercial properties the other end of the country.

Our Plan would see the council take a leading role in developing local affordable housing and holding wealthy developers to account.”

To support our Plan for Affordable Housing sign the petition here

Click here to view the full report for the Portsmouth Labour Plan for Affordable Housing