Regional Lib Dems Urge Action on Housing

1.41.08pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 4th Oct 2008

Lib Dem members of the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) called upon the government to take a pragmatic approach during its current review of regional plans.

The review of plans, which themselves took several years to develop, is intended to be completed within just a few months and is taking place against the backdrop of the credit crunch.

Group leader Kathy Pollard said: 'The credit crunch is radically changing the assumptions upon which the current East of England plan is based. simply to review it as a largely theoretical exercise. And imposing additional demands is frankly irrational.'

EERA Lib Dem housing spoke Trevor Miller added 'there have been 2 major changes. Firstly house prices have fallen and are expected to fall further. And secondly builders have stopped building. We need to think again about how we meet demands for the future because market dynamics have changed.'

Cambridgeshire County Council Lib Dem group leader and member of the EERA executive, David Jenkins, said: 'We have a government which seems disinclined to make changes. There are opportunities today to change the rules relating to social and other low cost housing and if they were to take them we could make a major impact on waiting lists in short order. Current rules simply put a block on needed housing coming to market'.