HOUSING spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, Matthew Green MP, last week visited Tavistock to discuss the issue of affordable housing with professionals in the field and councillors. David Walter, prospective parliamentary candidate for West Devon and Torridge, invited Mr Green to the borough. Mr Walter said: ?The lack of affordable housing for local people is one of the most urgent issues facing this constituency. ?We have one of the highest ratios between average wages and average house prices in the country. ?It is causing real hardship, dividing families and putting a great strain on communities.? Matthew Green?s own local authority of South Shropshire has similar problems and the council there has come up with some imaginative and innovative solutions. He strongly advocated using exception sites, where building is allowed on small pieces of agricultural land to meet the housing needs of local people. He noted West Devon?s target to make 35 per cent of all new housing affordable ? but said that in time this could be increased to fifty per cent. Praising local efforts to tackle the problem, he said: ?This isn?t an issue where London government can come up with one solution to suit every area. ?Local people should have the freedom to innovate and to find the approach which best suits local needs.?
