Thursday 5th June 2014

New figures, released to local MP Toby Perkins by the National House Building Council (NHBC), reveal that new house building in Chesterfield has fallen to just one third of the national average.

This far behind the figures needed to keep up with projected demand and marks the 5th quarter of decline in a row.

NHBC is the official supplier of housing statistics to DCLG - and the only source of data which breaks down housing numbers to a constituency level.

The full figures from the NHBC are as follows:

Chesterfield MP, Toby Perkins said, "Once again the Tory-led government's policies are having a real impact on people in Chesterfield. Under David Cameron, the number of homes built has fallen to the lowest level in peacetime since the 1920s.


Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins - "Once again the Tory-led government's policies are having a real impact on people in Chesterfield"

"This demonstrates even further the need to press of with developments at Waterside and Donkins, as a shortage of new build is bad for those looking for a home and the economy.

"That's why Labour has committed to getting 200,000 homes a year built by 2020 and to introduce tough new 'use it or lose it' powers to prevent companies sitting on land while waiting for the price to rise."

Toby Perkins also expressed his dismay that the Tory-led Government voted against Labour's amendment to ban unfair letting agent fees last month which will dismay 'Generation Rent' - the nine million people in this country - including 1.3 million families - who live in rented accommodation for whom housing is already insecure, uncertain and a strain on family finance.

He said, "Labour is standing up for private renters who are being hit hard by David Cameron's cost-of-living crisis and we will continue to push for letting agent fees on tenants to be banned.

"The average up-front fees are £350, but in high demand areas these fees can be much higher. A Labour government will ban letting agent fees on tenants as well as introducing long- term stable tenancies with predictable rents."

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