Bournemouth MP 'deeply concerned' by housing crisis in the town
The MP for Bournemouth West has admitted there’s a “housing crisis” in the area with many living in ‘damp and mouldy’ homes
A Bournemouth MP has told us she’s ‘deeply concerned’ with the number of people living in poor-quality accommodation.
Residents are apparently experiencing a range of housing issues, from unaffordable rents to mould-infested homes.
Bournemouth West MP Jessica Toale told us: “I’ve had a number of residents write to me to say they’ve been evicted from their home and are facing homelessness or that they’re facing eye-wateringly high rental increases.”
Data from the Office for National Statistics last year found that someone in Dorset on the average local wage would see nearly 40% of their earnings go towards rent for a two-bedroom property.
Meanwhile, the average price for a one-bed flat in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole went up 10% from 2023 to 2024.
The figures suggested that full-time employees in the BCP area could expect to spend 10x their annual earnings on purchasing a home in 2023.
MP Jessica Toale said: “I know that accommodation, whether you want to rent or buy, is disproportionately expensive in Bournemouth, especially for the type of wages that people can command locally.
“BCP has been given some really ambitious housing targets that will make a huge difference to people in the local area who want to stay here and want to get on the housing ladder.”
Building new homes
BCP Council has been told by the Government to build 3,000 homes a year for the next 15 years, that’s almost double the number outlined in the Council’s Local Plan.
There are calls for the majority of these to be affordable homes so residents can stay in their communities and help address the local “housing crisis”.
But first Jessica Toale is bringing together local agencies such as Citizens Advice, Shelter and St Mungo’s to address the ‘pressing concerns’ of renters and homeowners.
She told us: “Following countless conversations with residents, I heard many say they live with damp and mould in their flats and that neither private landlords nor housing associations are dealing with these issues.
“I had one young woman tell me that she'd been bounced from one flat to another, and that her young daughter has now developed asthma as a result of excessive mould in those flats.
“I was to assure my constituents that I will be focusing on these issues because we want to make sure that people have a dry and warm, a safe place to live.”
The Bournemouth West MP will be hosting three ‘housing super surgeries,’ aimed at providing constituents with the opportunity to share their specific concerns and receive advice and guidance from local organisations who specialise in these issues.
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