A push has been made to deliver more affordable homes in the villages surrounding Reading, amid concerns local people are being priced out of the area.
Olivia Bailey, the Labour MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, has raised the issue in parliament after hearing from her constituents about the escalating cost of housing.
A constituent from Bradfield told her that while her daughter would like to stay in the village, there are no affordable houses that are right for her young family, so she will likely move away.
Mrs Bailey has criticised both the previous Conservative and current Liberal Democrat administrations on West Berkshire Council for failing to deliver sufficient affordable housing in West Berkshire villages.
She has called on the council to step up its ambition to deliver the small developments of affordable housing rural villages need to remain sustainable, including supporting the development of Rural Exception Sites such as the process currently underway in Beenham.
Mrs Bailey has welcomed the government’s commitment to rural affordable housing, including a £500 million top up for the Affordable Homes Programme as well as the work of Rural Housing Enablers such as Connecting Communities in Berkshire, which work with parish councils like Beenham to develop small-scale, community-led affordable housing for local people.
However, she also noted frustrations expressed by parish councils who are seeing existing social housing properties in West Berkshire villages being sold off by the Sovereign housing association, which could be offered for social rent to local people being sold or rented at unaffordable prices.
In response, Matthew Pennycook, the housing and planning minister, congratulated her for securing the debate and welcomed that she was highlighting the issues.
He agreed with her that it cannot be right that people are unable to remain in the villages in which they grew up, and confirmed that the government is committed both to strong protections for National Landscapes like the North Wessex Downs and to building the affordable housing that West Berkshire needs.
Mrs Bailey said: “I am delighted to have led this debate on affordable rural housing, raising the concerns shared by my constituents in villages across West Berkshire directly with the Housing Minister.
“This Labour government is committed to tackling the housing crisis, and that includes working with local communities, councils, housing associations and developers to deliver the affordable housing that we need in our area. I will continue to hold West Berkshire Council’s feet to the fire so we can make real progress and ensure the sustainability of our beautiful villages for generations to come.”
The debate took place on Tuesday, February 25.
It comes as West Berkshire Council is being pressed to deliver 1,057 homes per year, an increase of 114 per cent from the previous target of 495.
Mr Pennycook is the Labour MP for Greenwich and Woolwich.
