Dan Rogerson MP for North Cornwall

Local MP Dan Rogerson has challenged Defra to stand up for rural community housing schemes, by working with publicly owned banks to ensure local people can buy affordable housing at sites like the Blisland Community Land Trust.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Rogerson said:  “the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs needs to co-ordinate with the rest of the Government across the whole range of policy initiatives. That could ensure, for example, that the banks that are now effectively publicly owned supported housing initiatives. In my constituency, there is a community land trust, but people hoping to buy the homes are facing difficulties because the banks are being obstructive.”

Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs spokesman Tim Farron confirmed, “partially publicly owned banks have pulled the plug on providing mortgages for affordable homes…homes are standing empty because people are asked to come up with 30% deposits.  People with such deposits would not be in the market for an affordable home. The banks need to play ball. In many respects, it seems that we have the worst of both worlds: we spend money on the banks, but we appear to have little control over how they relate to our rural economy and other parts of the economy.”

Commenting, Mr Rogerson said:

“It is entirely unacceptable that lenders might now attempt to deny local families entry into the housing market now, especially since so many have been bailed out with taxpayers’ cash.

“Large deposits are often a hurdle too high for most ordinary families seeking to get a start on the housing ladder.

“I have been in touch with the Council of Mortgage Lenders to emphasise that schemes like that at Blisland are nationally recognised as successes and deserve ongoing support.

“The public has backed the banks, now the banks must back the public and keep credit flowing to local people who are seeking to buy their first home.

“Defra should stand be making this case within government for rural housing schemes across the country.”