Bracknell General Election candidates on: Housing

Although there are currently many house building schemes in the Bracknell area, it is unfortunately the case that those most in need are unable to buy them. Affordable housing is supposed to allow first time buyers to get on the property ladder but this is becoming increasingly difficult, with the average price of a starter home in Bracknell at around £300K.

As your elected Member of Parliament, I would put pressure on housing developers to work closely with the Local Authorities to look at introducing more ‘help to buy schemes’. I would also lobby Select Committees and Government Ministers to ensure a strategy for affordability is put in place without delay.

However, there are wider and more pressing issues that need to be addressed to reduce the cost of living in the Bracknell area (Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Finchampstead, Wokingham Without). Rents are increasing, pricing those most in need out of the market. Social housing building, which is at an all-time low, needs to be actively encouraged, together with proper infrastructure planning so that those communities do not become isolated.

Overcrowding because of lack of affordable housing forces young adults to live at home much longer, putting pressure on families, parking and, ultimately, the NHS and Social Care. I would review the Local Authority’s plans for Social Housing, reverse any relocation of first time accommodation away from the town and work to improve public transport around the Borough.

Patrick Smith, Liberal Democrat candidate

Like all commodities, house prices are largely driven by a relationship between supply and demand. As a nation we have consistently failed to build the number of houses required over many years. Independent estimates are that we need to achieve a homebuilding target of at least 300,000 new homes per year to meet demand. Doing so would match supply to demand and stabilise house prices. The Liberal Democrats are committed to meeting this target by the end of the next parliament, with the government directly commissioning house building where the market fails to produce the required results on its own. At least 100,000 of these new homes built per year would have to be affordable and energy efficient.

Unfortunately even with ambitious plans in place it will take many years to return house prices to sustainable, affordable levels for most people. Liberal Democrat plans include a new Rent to Own scheme that would enable those currently priced out of the housing market accrue an increasing stake in their property through renting, eventually owning the property outright after 30 years.

Phillip Lee, Conservative candidate

Bracknell is a victim of its own success. More companies and more people want to move here and that pressure keeps pushing house prices ever higher. We need to balance the need for more houses, with the need to avoid concreting all the open spaces that make Bracknell so special – and the need to ensure our infrastructure can keep pace. But it is not just a matter of more houses. These must be houses that people – especially young people – can afford to purchase or rent.

The Conservatives will meet their 2015 commitment to deliver a million homes by the end of 2020 and we will deliver half a million more by the end of 2022. Crucially, we will give councils powers to intervene where developers do not act on their planning permissions. The government will build 160,000 houses on its own land. We will support specialist housing, like multigenerational homes and housing for older people, and help housing associations increase their specialist housing stock. Most importantly, we will help councils build new fixed-term social houses, which will be sold privately after ten to fifteen years with an automatic Right to Buy for tenants.

Olivio Barreto, Indendent candidate

Having worked with Winkfield Parish council over the last 10 years I understand the problems of both the shortage of housing, the lack of infrastructure to protect the county side, and the affluence of the area making house prices unaffordable. There is not one solution and the policies below have to be adopted together. Consultation to build right, well paying jobs, subsidies to provide affordable essential accommodation and subsidies to help affordable housing and shared ownership from central Government, Bracknell Council and crowd funding.

In Winkfield I would have a consultation with residents on the type of housing, the number and location (the available land from developers/owners). This will enable us to build housing where we want it rather than where Westminster want the overdevelopment to go.

Companies will be asked in return to pay a minimum wage of £20 an hour. This will help those employed to live a basic life and save based on a salary of a minimum of £38,400. This is still not enough to buy a house, but gives hope. If both partners earn this amount then they will have a home.

We need well designed and low maintenance council housing to keep the running costs of energy and without the need for service charges.