In their 2024 general election manifesto, the Liberal Democrats said they were committed to ‘ tackling past housing failures head-on’ by ‘increasing building of new homes to 380,000 a year across the UK, including 150,000 social homes a year. ’ This was an ambitious figure which aimed to deliver 1.9 million new homes over 5 years.

The Labour Government shares that determination to tackle past housing failures, and last year set a target of delivering 1.5 million homes by 2029, with targets set for the number of new homes per year in each local authority. In light of the commitment given in the Lib Dem manifesto, and the fact that the government is similarly committed, although at a lower rate of delivery, we were somewhat surprised to learn from his column in last week’s County Times, that Horsham’s Liberal Democrat MP, John Milne opposes the target set by the government and wants to lock in a much lower target in the District’s local plan. We wonder, therefore, if John Milne disagrees with his Party’s manifesto commitment on housing.

The past housing failures mentioned in the Lib Dem manifesto have resulted in the worst housing crisis in a generation. Horsham constituency is far from unaffected, with house prices amongst the highest in the country. John Milne himself has commented on the impact of this in our area, most recently, following his visit to the YMCA.

To tackle this crisis, we need to build the homes that local people need. In our submission to the Local Plan consultation, we pointed out that the figures for new homes proposed by the Lib Dems fell well short of the number required to tackle head-on the shortfall in affordable housing delivery in Horsham. In 2014, an independent assessment of housing need reported that the net affordable need per annum in Horsham District was between 225 and 400 homes a year. In the past decade, this rate of delivery has only been achieved four times, indeed, John Milne mentioned in his column that the rate of delivery had fallen ‘ far behind' the targets set. If that had not been the case, perhaps our target for new homes could have been lower, but it is the case, and, therefore, the shortfall needs to be addressed. John Milne’s proposal to lock in the target of 480 homes will not address the shortfall, it will make matters worse.

The Lib Dems recognised in their manifesto the challenge we have in addressing the housing crisis. The Labour Party has recognised this and is determined to do something about it. If John Milne is not prepared to support action to genuinely tackle the housing crisis head-on, perhaps he could explain to all those currently in need of decent, affordable housing in his constituency, and to his Party nationally, his reasons for that.

Carol Hayton

Horsham Labour Party

Letter to the editor/political opinion: We need to build the homes that Horsham people need