Local affordable homes

Many local people struggle to get suitable and affordable housing, whether that’s getting one-bedroom properties in Heysham or young people being able to stay in their home villages. I believe that the national planning system needs a radical overhaul to deliver the homes we need – affordable, low energy, and flood resistant. Current planning laws favour developers’ profits over meeting real housing need.

This is a matter that strikes at the heart of our villages and rural areas, where we are seeing an alarming trend: young people, the lifeblood of our communities, are being forced to move away. One of the key reasons for this is a lack of affordable housing. We see the consequences of this most clearly in our local economy, particularly in key sectors like agriculture and hospitality—industries that have been the backbone of rural life for generations. Farms, restaurants, hotels, and pubs across Morecambe and Lunesdale are struggling to find the workers they need. Without young people staying in these areas or moving in, the workforce shrinks, and businesses are unable to expand or, worse, survive.

To face the challenge of the housing crisis, decisive action must be taken, this means working closely with local authorities, developers, and communities to ensure we have the right mix of affordable and social housing, built to the highest standards