Mike Treleaven calls for changes to planning laws to allow more affordable houses to be built

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sat 5th Mar 2005

Speaking at the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in Harrogate earlier today, Totnes Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Mike Treleaven highlighted the problems caused by the lack of affordable housing in the constituency and backed calls for radical changes including an overhaul of the planning laws. Speaking after the debate Mike Treleaven said:

¡®The lack of affordable housing is one of the major problems facing us in South Devon and I welcome our proposals which will create more affordable environmentally sustainable housing. In many areas the housing shortage is compounded by the huge number of second homes and we are calling for change of use planning permission to be required in areas where this is a problem. We are also calling for local authorities to have much more freedom on planning issues so local needs can be met.¡¯

He continued:

I highlighted to conference the particular problems we face due to high house prices and low incomes. Problems exacerbated by planning policy dictated by central government which gives little say to local communities. We have put forward a whole raft of proposals all of which will help ease the housing crisis and help people achieve their basic human right - a decent home in which to live.