Labour will deliver a decade of national renewal to replace 13 years of national decline. To do this Labour will get Britain building again.
The Tories are killing the ‘dream of home ownership’ for people in Portsmouth and across the country, meaning it’s out of reach for millions. And if we don’t take action – it will only become even more distant – becoming a luxury for the few not the privilege of the many.
Labour has a plan to get Britain building again. People in our city want to know that the dream of homeownership isn’t out of reach for them, or their children and grandchildren. Portsmouth families should all have the opportunity to have the pride and security that comes with owning your own home.
That’s why Labour will tackle the housing crisis that has been ignored for too long. Labour’s plan will see one and half million new homes built across the country, alongside the infrastructure and public services communities need, and help get people on the property ladder.
This will give opportunities for first-time buyers in every community, building homes local people can afford with access to transport, shops, GPs and school places.
Our plan includes:
- The next generation of ‘new towns’; new communities with beautiful homes, green spaces, reliable transport links and bustling high streets, with local leaders able to bid in with suggested sites.
- Building more affordable and social houses, getting tough on developers so families have affordable homes to live and save.
- Recruit hundreds of new planning officers to help areas agree local plans that make sure new homes can access shops, GPs and school places and protect green spaces.
- Upgrading millions of cold, draughty homes with a national insulation scheme to cut energy bills and create jobs for builders, plumbers and installers.
- Boosting brownfield development; getting the most of our previously developed, brownfield land with planning reforms.
- Giving first dibs to first time buyers; supporting younger people by giving them the first chance to buy new homes in their areas.
- Introducing a new mortgage guarantee scheme; with the government acting as guarantor for part of a mortgage for prospective homeowners to replace a large deposit.
We want more areas to agree local plans in consultation with local people, ensuring homes are built with high standards on design, lots of green spaces, good transport links and access to GPs and school places. Too often in the past in Portsmouth this has not happened.
Labour’s plans will enhance local communities’ power and voice over ‘how’ housing is built to best service local people, while challenging those who question ‘if’ homes the homes people need should be built at all.
You can show your support for this plan here.
