Aberavon MP Supports New Housing Plan to Help Families and First Time Buyers
16th August 2007
Aberavon MP, Dr Hywel Francis has welcomed the Government's ambitious national plan to build more affordable, better designed and environmentally friendly homes to help families and first time buyers in Aberavon.
Anew £8 billion package for affordable homes was announced by Housing Minister Yvette Cooper in a new Green Paper. The Green Paper also outlined a commitment to build at least 70,000 affordable houses a year by 2010-11. This includes 45,000 new social homes a year - more than doubling the amount built each year compared to 2004, and a goal of 50,000 social homes a year in the next spending review.
Dr Francis said,
"We haven't been building enough homes across the country for a generation. First time buyers and families are being hard hit and it will only get worse if we don't act now. That's why I am backing the Government's measures to build more affordable homes."
The Green Paper also confirmed its target that from 2016 all new homes should be zero carbon, with milestones that by 2010 new homes should emit 25% less carbon and by 2013, 44% less carbon. Councils were also invited to bid to host at least 5 new zero carbon eco-towns.
Dr Francis continued,
"Now more than ever we know the challenges of climate change. That is why we need to build homes in a more environmentally friendly way. It is extremely important that house builders and developers in Aberavon fully commit to the target of zero carbon homes by 2016."
Yvette Cooper, Minister for Housing, said,
"This is a national issue, but its a local issue too. We want to give local councils new opportunities to build more affordable homes in every community. But they must be sustainable and well designed, and built to the highest environmental standards."
