On 7 June, Martin Lyon, UKIP candidate for Winchester, has sent us the following email:
“The question of high density housing is a big issue for the Winchester and Eastleigh Constituencies. Eastleigh is taking a greater proportion of housing than surrounding areas – why? The Conservative-controlled county council and the Liberal Democrat borough council in Eastleigh seem to be supporting the national government’s policy of building more houses in Eastleigh and Winchester. Are we being asked to build more than we can reasonably cope with and actually need? UKIP believes the answer is ‘yes’.
“We oppose all the options (A-D) being discussed. The recent housing white paper says the way to resolve the housing market problem is just build more houses. UKIP thinks this is wrong. It is about building in the right place, including genuinely affordable and rental accommodation for fewer people not more.
“We support new council houses.
“Parliamentary papers list the 3 main drivers on shortfalls of housing land supply as:
1. People living longer
2. People living independently
3. Immigration
“County infrastructure planning is non-existent. Much of the county’s capital programme for schools is relying heavily upon developer’s contributions – over 50% in fact. School numbers are based on population demographics and immigration is making the key difference in Hampshire.
“The previous local plan only allowed for a maximum of circa 10,200 houses. On many occasions UKIP has called for scrutiny of the revised housing figures under the new developing local plan – currently some 50% more than the 2011-2029 failed local plan.
“The Liberal Democrats are merely implementing national housing policy. They blame the Conservatives about poor infrastructure. The Tories then blame the borough for not having a local plan. In Winchester the Conservative run city council have taken minimal housing quota compared to Eastleigh.
“UKIP is the only party calling for a local moratorium on the question of housing quotas; driven by national government ONS figures responding to uncontrolled ‘immigration’ since 1997.
“More people means more cars on old roads leading to high repair costs and more congestion. This means more pollution. Our frustration is that neither Conservative or Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidates are questioning the situation?”
Martin Lyon, UKIP candidate for Winchester
