In Guildford, a buoyant economy intensifies pressure for more housing to be built. As the market comes up against policies of planning restraint, however, the cost of existing houses is driven up, leaving local families unable to afford them. When the prices fall again, people are vulnerable to negative equity and the loss of their homes. Affordable housing is understandably, therefore, top of your list of priorities.
Your priorities for housing:
- Key workers given higher priority than local business needs. Young people, lower income groups and local families also priorities
- Need to balance housing against threat to open spaces
- Warnings of pressure building in North Guildford, overcrowded housing and the strain on the infrastructure
- Need to balance town centre housing against business needs, with preference for brown field sites and affordable housing in the centre
- Rural housing need, alongside opposition to 4,000 new homes as proposed by Surrey County Council's draft Structure Plan
- Strengthening the small homes policy, building small units, increased use of Housing Associations and a min 30 per cent affordable housing in all new developments
- More council houses and sheltered homes and the release of finance from the sales of council houses
- Need to keep affordable housing genuinely affordable
- Need to ensure open space and play facilities are provided within or close to housing developments
View: Community Wellbeing and Housing [PDF] (23k)
Housing Advice Centre
Guildford Borough Council
Millmead House
Millmead
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 4BB
Tel: 01483 444244
Email: housingadvice@guildford.gov.uk