New evidence of continuing housing crisis in South Somerset

29 August 2007

Political and public support for a major house building programme is urgently needed in South Somerset to alleviate the local housing crisis, says local housing association, South Somerset Homes.

The National Housing Federation has published South West Home Truths: The real cost of housing 2007-2012, an annual update of official key housing facts and figures in the South West. The report shows that the lack of affordable homes in the region is resulting in a rapidly escalating housing crisis.

The average house price in South Somerset is currently over 11 times the average income, and the crisis is made worse by the continued growth of holiday homes - the South West has the highest proportion of second homes in the UK. Second homes make up 1.12% of housing in South Somerset.

South West Home Truths: The real cost of housing 2007 – 2012 includes Oxford Economic house price forecasts for the next five years. The figures show that affordability is going to worsen drastically as house prices across the South West are set to increase by a further 44% to an average of £316,000 by 2012.

Geoff Atkinson, Chief Executive of South Somerset Homes commented, “South Somerset Homes is committed to providing affordable housing solutions so local people can live within this rural, but expensive area. It is so rewarding to see local people able to move back to the village they were raised. South Somerset Homes aims to build another 2500 new homes over the next ten years, some of which will be for rent and the remainder for shared ownership”.

Derek Cash, Head of the South Region for the National Housing Federation, said, “We are heartened by the Government’s Housing Green Paper and promise of additional funding for affordable housing, but political support for house building campaigns is required at national, regional and local levels in order to deliver the homes South Somerset so desperately needs.”

“Our report shows that the South West is only building around 70% of the homes we need every year and only half of the social homes required. There is now a major backlog of demand from families across the region.”

“Local communities should also support planning applications for new affordable housing schemes in their locality. This is the only way we are going to create sufficient housing to tackle the huge shortage,” added Mr Cash.