ASHFIELD: Council to build more affordable housing

At a district council meeting on 10th October, councillors passed plans to enable more people to get on the housing ladder.

Chris Baron, leader of the Ashfield District Council, said something needed to be done to ensure houses were available for more than 4,000 people on Ashfield’s waiting list.

He said: “We are not building enough council and affordable homes.

“The average price in the Ashfield area is now £110,000 with the average earnings now £21,070.

“As with most businesses when there is a shortage - just like the Sony play station at Christmas - as the demand goes up so does the price.”

Councillors passed the plans to build more affordable and council homes voting 24 for, nine against and three abstaining.

Lachlan Morrison, coun for Hucknall central, said: “Housing is a funny thing. If you ask people if they want housing, they say no but if you say do they want housing for their children to grow up in, they say yes.”

A rise in house prices has meant home ownership is beyond the reach of many in Ashfield and the size of a mortgage deposit alone stops would-be first time buyers from getting on the housing ladder.

The gross annual income needed for a mortgage is £23,500 not including the deposit, nearly £2,500 above the average earnings in the area.