Communities to lead Lib Dem housing drive – Ed Davey

Ed Davey visited the site of a former cinema that has been derelict for decades

The leader of the Liberal Democrats has said his party would build infrastructure such as schools and GP surgeries in order to deliver more housing, if they were in power.

The Liberal Democrats have committed to building 380,000 homes a year in England – 80,000 more than the government's target.

Visiting Kent during the local election campaign, Sir Ed Davey declined to say how many homes would be built in the South East.

He said communities would be at the heart of the Liberal Democrats’ approach.

'Different approach'

Sir Ed paid a visit to the site of a former cinema in Tunbridge Wells, which was derelict for decades, but has now been demolished to make way for a retirement village.

He said: “Here in Royal Tunbridge Wells, we’re building more homes by working on brownfield sites that have been left derelict for years by the Conservatives and I think there are brownfield sites across many towns and cities in the South East.”

He said both the government and Labour were taking a developer-led approach to housing, but the Liberal Democrats’ approach was community-led.

“What that really means is we ensure that the infrastructure that people want to see, whether it’s on transport or water, whether it’s on GPs and schools, that infrastructure is built at the same time," he said.

“I think people do get worried about new housing if they think that their own roads and their GP surgeries and schools are not going to be increased to be able to accommodate the extra families and people there.

“That’s why the Liberal Democrats have a very different approach and why I think we will take communities with us, because the communities will be at the heart of the planning and housing decisions we take.”

The Liberal Democrats currently run Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in coalition with other groups. This year every seat on the council is up for re-election.