Plan for job and affordable homes backed

12.00.00pm GMT Sun 22nd Feb 2009

Liberal Democrats in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich have welcomed plans to boost affordable housing and avoid home repossession. The plans, launched by the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable MP and Shadow Housing Minister Sarah Teather MP, include:

• providing refurbishment loans for owners of empty homes if the homes are leased to housing associations,

• boosting the amount of private housing for rent including using empty commercial property temporarily as housing,

• bringing in a new type of secure mortgage to help boost lending to house buyers,

-letting councils and housing associations buy up unsold private houses and allowing them access to funds to bring them homes up to social housing standards,

• making sure the courts allow repossession only as a last resort.

Local campaigner Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne said, "Many people in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich are struggling to get their own home or are facing repossession because of the recession. We must do all we can to help residents through these bad times.

"Many homes built just before the recession started lie empty, often because the banks are not lending to people wanting to buy, yet there are many people needing a place to live. We want to unblock the system and our plans will help to do that.

"Giving housing associations and councils the opportunity to buy up empty homes that builders cannot sell will mean hundreds of local families will be able to rent a place of their own."

Parliamentary Spokesman Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne recently visited Framlingham with local campaigner Andrew Housely, to view the effects of the recession on this market town.