Ben Howlett, the Member of Parliament for Bath, recently urged the Housing Minister to help ensure more affordable homes can be built in Bath.
Last year Bath was identified as the fourth least affordable city in the UK according to a Lloyd’s Bank Report.
Since being elected to Parliament, Ben Howlett has been campaigning for additional funding to help more young people get onto the property ladder in Bath.
Since the last time the Housing and Planning Bill went before Parliament, Ben has been working with other Conservative MPs that have similar problems to Bath to ensure that the Minister understands that it is not just London that has an issue with the high cost of housing.
During the debate on the Housing and Planning Bill, Ben said to Brandon Lewis: “As he will know from his visit to Bath a couple of weeks ago, we do not have high-value assets, but housing costs are high in the area.
“Given the earlier announcement about the shift from high-value assets to higher-value assets, which will not be applicable in Bath, how can our authority combine with other authorities to bid for additional funds following the Budget announcement?”
In response Brandon Lewis, the Housing Minister, said: “My hon. Friend makes a good point. When I visited him and met constituents, developers and the local authority, I saw a really good example of an area that wants to deliver the right type of housing locally by understanding its local needs.
“Whether that involves working with the Government to bid for some of the £4.7 billion in the shared ownership fund or the £1.2 billion for starter homes on brownfield sites.
“Local authorities could also work with authorities around the income from higher-value homes that they may be able to use to deliver elsewhere. It is important to get that flexibility and to understand that different authorities of different parties want it.”
Following the debate, Ben commented: “I want to urge Bath & North East Somerset Council to work with neighbouring Local Authorities to put in a joint application bid for some of the £4.7 billion in the shared ownership fund and the £1.2 billion starter homes fund, announced in the Budget.
“This application would be strengthened by a future devolution deal, with Local Authorities working together to benefit the whole region, whether it be through helping increase home building, transport networks or infrastructure projects.
“The funds are there to be spent and it would be excellent to see this investment brought to Bath and the wider region.”
