Source: City of Plymouth
The three Plymouth MPs, along with the Council Leader, have come together to lobby the Government for additional funding for much needed housing in the city.
With more than 7,000 households in this city on the housing register, the need massively outweighs the supply. As the city continues to grow and with thousands of new jobs being created in the next few years, including new jobs at the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport and the expanded Devonport naval base, it is expected that even more people will need a home.
Whilst Plymouth is one of 20 areas in the UK that is considered a ‘priority’ by Homes England, investment is needed to ensure that plans to push forward the city’s plans for housing can be delivered. In particular, plans to increase the number of new homes in the city centre.
Following a question raised in the House of Commons by South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith, Matthew Pennycook MP (Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government), agreed to meet with the three local MPs, Rebecca Smith, Luke Pollard and Fred Thomas along with Council Leader Tudor Evans, to discuss the national effort required to deliver the housing needed.
Together, they discussed the growth of the city, the local housing picture and appealed to the Government for additional support.
Councillor Evans said: “Over the past nine years, we have delivered more than 7,500 new homes across the city, but we know that won’t be enough. With huge amount of planned investment in our city, particularly at Devonport, we need to make sure we have enough people to fill the jobs and we have the right local infrastructure to support this growth.
“Together with our three MPs, we stand united, lobbying the Government for more money for housing, transport, and making sure that local people have the right skills to be able to apply for the jobs available.”
Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, said: “As the MP for Devonport I have been campaigning for Plymouth to get its fair share. The opportunity to build 5500 homes in the city centre will provide jobs and homes for local people and will directly support the growth of our strategic industries, especially the Dockyard.”
Rebecca Smith, MP for South West Devon, added: “The £200 million investment in Dock 9, Devonport’s largest submarine dry dock, by the previous Government will accelerate Babcock’s maintenance of UK submarines. This will preserve Devonport’s vital role in maintaining our nation’s nuclear deterrent, creating new jobs and attracting even greater levels of investment.
“However, to ensure that this investment is an opportunity rather than a potential strain on our local economy we must ensure that the correct infrastructure is in place. Upskilling our local workforce, improving Plymouth’s housing supply and providing suitable railway links must all be considered.
“I thank the Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Matthew Pennycook for meeting with the Plymouth MPs and listening to my concerns. I look forward to working closely with the Minister to secure a more prosperous future for our Dockyard, Plymouth and the wider region.”
Fred Thomas, MP for Plymouth Moor View, added: “It is brilliant that Plymouth is growing. But we urgently need more housing to meet increased demand. It was great to meet together, cross-party, to raise this with the new Housing Minister. The new Government has been clear that it wants to get Britain building again, delivering 1.5 million more homes in the next five years. This must come together with investment in places like Plymouth and I will continue to work with the Government to make sure this happens”.