Liberal Democrats set out plans to build a million new affordable homes by 2020 (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

Liberal Democrats set out plans to build a million new affordable homes by 2020

June 20, 2007 12:00 AM

The leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Menzies Campbell has said that Britain needs a revolution in housing. He unveiled proposals for building one million new socially rented, affordable and low cost homes by 2020. Islington's Liberal Democrat leadership welcome Sir Menzies' proposals, and were pleased that it reflects, and would support, what is already happening in Islington: since the Lib Dems took control of the council in 2000 over 3000 new affordable homes have been built, including 800 in the last year.

Delivering the Chamberlain Lecture at a Joseph Rowntree Foundation conference in Birmingham, Sir Menzies launched a withering attack on Labour's record on housing. He accused the Government of 'ghettoising' housing, leaving poor and vulnerable people living on large 'sink estates' which offered little hope or opportunity. He said it was a national disgrace that one million children still lived in overcrowded accommodation and 130,000 children lived in temporary housing.

Menzies Campbell said that innovative and imaginative solutions were needed to deliver this revolution.

Addressing Labour's failures Menzies Campbell said:

"Over the last ten years in England, the number of homes being built for social housing has halved while the number of families on the waiting list has gone up by 50% to one and a half million.

"By 2020 I want to see one million new socially rented, affordable and low cost homes.

"I want to ensure that the face of council housing is changed forever - replacing large estates with different housing types, and providing accommodation for a broad range of people rather than creating an enclave for the desperate.

Menzies Campbell said that the tower blocks of the past have not been beneficial to communities. He said:

"Too many housing estates, built with the best of intentions and in accordance with the thinking of time, have become centres of deprivation: high levels of unemployment, poor schools, crime and anti-social behaviour. Young people should live in a state of hope, not on an estate of deprivation."

Councillor Terry Stacy, Executive Member for Housing and Communities, commented:

"Since the Lib Dems took control in 2000, over 3000 new affordable homes have been built in Islington. 813 of these have been built in the last year, when only 253 were built in Camden, 264 in Haringey, and 130 in Westminster.

"We have also been working to balance the need for more housing with preserving the special nature of Islington. We are continuing to fight against Ken Livingstone's demands to build even denser housing in Islington.

"I am also proud to announce that for the first time in 25 years the Council will be building new council housing in the borough."

Sir Menzies Campbell will be visiting New North School in Islington on 26 June 07.