This morning, our local Labour MP, Andrew Lewin, spoke to BBC Three Counties Radio about housing in Welwyn Hatfield and the need to match new developments with strong public services.
Andrew highlighted the urgent need for homes, with the average local house costing over £420,000 and more than 3,000 people on the council housing waiting list:
“People are desperate for the chance to buy or rent at a fair price. Unless we build more homes, we cannot support them.”
He stressed the government’s “brownfield first” policy, which prioritises previously developed land while protecting greenbelt areas, and reassured listeners that local councils retain the final say over planning applications.
Andrew also emphasised the importance of social infrastructure alongside new homes:
“I have been campaigning for a new GP surgery linked to a development in Panshanger. Homes are vital, but the services that go with them are just as important.”
Labour is also investing £39 billion in affordable and social housing, ensuring new homes are accessible and rents are fair.
“To help young people onto the housing ladder and prevent rents rising further, we must build homes at scale, in the right places, with the services our communities need.”
Labour’s Housing Policy
Labour’s housing policy is focused on delivering 1.5 million homes by the next parliament while reforming the planning system to make building quicker and fairer. By prioritising brownfield sites, supporting affordable and social housing, and ensuring essential infrastructure is in place, the government is taking practical steps to make homeownership more achievable, protect local communities, and drive sustainable growth.