Every single person in this country, irrespective of where they are from, what they do or how much they earn, deserves to live in a home that is decent, safe and secure. I’m determined to drive the improvements we need, whilst safeguarding precious green spaces and ensuring upgrades to infrastructure.
Improved social housing
I regularly receive complaints from local residents regarding their social housing provider and the problems they are experiencing with their homes. Social housing tenants deserve to have their voices heard and their complaints listened to and taken seriously. It’s important that Housing Associations meet their commitments to provide decent homes and respond promptly to complaints. They must be held to account, and I’ve been joining local Conservative councillors to press for improvements for social housing tenants in Surrey Heath.
I’ve also introduced new rules to provide stronger safeguards for social housing tenants, and you can read more about this here.
Improved Service Family Accommodation
Service personnel and their families deserve safe, warm, and dry homes that are free of damp and mould, but sadly many service families who are living in Surrey Heath are experiencing problems with their military accommodation. That’s why I’ve been speaking with Defence Ministers to ensure these service families receive all the support they rightly deserve and need, and I’m pleased the MOD recognises that not enough has been done in the past. I welcomed the further investment of £73 million in 2023 on replacement windows, doors, roofs and upgrades to thermal efficiency and ventilation to reduce the occurrence of damp and mould in homes, and I’m continuing to work for further improvements.
Suitable new homes
Everyone deserves a place to call their own and I want to make the dream of homeownership a reality for even more people in Surrey Heath. People are happier, more secure and more rooted in their communities when they own their own home – and know that they can pass it on to future generations. I also want to see new developments cater to local needs, reflecting community preferences, with well-designed homes, as well as affordable housing. Any new developments must benefit the local community, and I want to establish a new Infrastructure Levy that will ensure that communities have the necessary improvements to local infrastructure.
Protecting the Green Belt
I’m a strong advocate of protections for the Green Belt, and I’m committed to protecting it for generations to come. Through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, I’ve ensured that greater weight is given to local plans and national policy, giving more assurance that areas of environmental importance, including our Green Belt, will be respected in decisions on planning applications and appeals. I want to see greater use of brownfield sites, which will help reduce the pressure on greenfield sites, and I’ve introduced funding to support this through the £1.5 billion Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land Fund.
You can read more details on how I will ensure the right homes in the right places here.
