New Forest housing crisis is 'worse than ever' says district councillor due to Right to Buy rules

A NEW Forest district councillor has claimed the local housing crisis is “worse than it has ever been” as a result of affordable housing tenants being allowed to buy their properties.

Cllr Hilary Brand, Liberal Democrat councillor for Lyndhurst, raised the issue at a recent meeting of the district council and urged the Conservative administration to write to the government to air concerns.

She asked Cllr Jill Cleary, New Forest District Council’s cabinet member for housing and homelessness, to write to the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities asking them to scrap plans to extend the “damaging policy” to include housing associations.

Cllr Brand said: “The housing crisis is worse than it has ever been in the New Forest. Young people growing up in the New Forest, whose families have lived here for hundreds of years, are being forced to move away.

“This is a situation made much worse by Right to Buy, which reduces our supply of social housing and widens the gap between those who own their own home and those who rent.”

The Right to Buy system was a flagship Conservative policy brought in 40 years ago by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher through the Housing Act of 1980.

In June this year, ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to extend the scheme to people who rent their homes from housing associations.

A tenant must have lived in their council house for three to five years in order to be eligible for a 35% discount.

An additional 1% can be claimed every year past that, bringing the overall discount to 70%.

Cllr Cleary, who is set to replace Cllr Edward Heron as leader next month, responded to Cllr Brand by refusing to lobby against extending Right to Buy.

She also defended her record, saying: “Never before has this council done more to create more affordable homes for the residents in this district.

“Members will be very aware of the hard work we have done over a number of years to create our own supply of new council homes though our housing development programme and in supporting our partner housing providers in producing their new homes.”

Cllr Cleary added the council was “acutely aware” of the need to create a range of housing options and added: “Whilst views differ on the Right to Buy model, the reality is it has provided home ownership to a great many people who might have never got on the property ladder.

“We will continue to provide a range of housing options to all in our community to live happy and prosperous lives.”