Labour’s Chichester City and District Councillors are calling for the District Council to take bolder action to help address the local housing crisis.

Cllr Kevin Hughes and Cllr Sarah Lishman (above), are calling for the current proportion of affordable housing in all new developments to be increased to the 40% maximum as set by the Tory government.

Cllr Lishman says, “If only 30% of housing being built is affordable that means that 70% is unaffordable and given the current crisis we believe we need to stop building so many unaffordable houses and focus on the acute housing needs of local residents.”

Chichester suffers from high house prices and comparatively low wages for the South East. The Tory-run council has failed to build sufficient ‘affordable’ housing, which is 80% of market value. Labour is arguing for the adoption of social rental prices, which are tied to local incomes and are truly affordable.

What Labour is calling for

➔ A change to the council’s definition of affordability to a formula pegged to local incomes.

➔ Launch a review into the minimum requirement of affordable housing in new developments with a view to increase it to the maximum 40% of new housing being built.

➔ Explore the viability of setting up our own not-for-profit Local Housing Company to meet the needs of local residents.

➔ Commit to building 199 new Council Houses, available at social rent prices and ring fence rental income to reinvest locally.