Farron: 'Report shows the urgent need for housing in the South Lakes'

Local MP Tim Farron today will be joining the National Housing Federation in Kendal to formally launch a report which highlights the urgent for need for housing in the South Lakes and Furness.

The Home Truths report concludes that nearly 5,000 families in Furness andSouth Lakeland are on the social housing waiting list.

At the current rate it would take 66,458 years to clear the backlog of people of people on waiting lists within the county.

The issue is compounded by the fact that average house costs outside the national park are nine times local peoples average wages. Inside the national park the disparity is much higher.

Average house prices across theNorth Westhave risen by 126% since 2001. The report also predicts that average rent costs will soar in the next five years by 18.7%.

Tim Farron has been working on projects to bring empty homes back into use onMintsfeet Roadin Kendal and at the Ironworks in Backbarrow; and utilising brown field sites like the current Auction Mart site in Kendal which will made redundant when the mart moves to Crooklands. Tim is also working with South Lakeland District Council on plans for more affordable homes in areas that the community support them.

Tim has recently forced the government to look at ending the mandatory discount for second home owners after a long campaign.

Commenting, Tim said: "Working with the National Housing Federation on this report has helped put on paper sadly what we already knew. There is a chronic need for housing in our area. But we need the right kind of housing - social housing, truly affordable housing and social rented properties. I will continue to do all I can to push the council and others to do more for local families and I will continue to champion the need for truly affordable homes in areas that the local community supports. Much has been done but as this report shows there is much, much more left to do."