Lack of housing concerns after Crawley named fast-selling homes hotspot

It takes an average of 30 days to sell a home in the town - the fourth fastest in Britain excluding London, according to property listings website Rightmove.

Crawley Borough Council’s Labour leader raised concerns over an increasing number of residents struggling to find or afford a home while the Tory opposition leader said Labour in Crawley were against home ownership having ‘opposed new starter homes for young people or allowing council and housing association tenants to purchase their own home’.

Cllr Peter Lamb (Lab, Northgate) said: “It’s another sign of the demand for housing in Crawley. While it’s nice that Crawley’s a place people want to live, and it’s convenient for anyone trying to sell up, for the growing number of residents who struggle to find or afford a roof over their head the only thing which will make a difference is getting more affordable housing build and that’s exactly what we’re working to achieve.”

Cllr Duncan Crow (Con, Furnace Green) said: “The report indicates how successful the economy is locally but also highlights that the level of new housing is failing to keep up with the rapidly rising population. When Labour politicians talk about the housing crisis, they are withholding the underlying cause which is population growth with unsustainable immigration encouraged by Labour when in government being a major factor. This is something I will consider seriously when voting in the EU Referendum.

“Owning your own home is becoming out of reach for many people and it is disappointing that Labour in Crawley are against home ownership, whether that be opposing new starter homes for young people or allowing council and housing association tenants to purchase their own home. The government are changing the tax regime for buy-to-let to stop the advantage that this has over people buying a home to live in. Buy-to-let has been a factor in homes to buy becoming unavailable for ordinary people and I am pleased that our government is seeking to redress the balance.”

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