Dorset region suffers chronic lack of affordable housing

Affordable housing in Swanage was a serious problem, according to councillor Debby Monkhouse

A "chronic lack of affordable housing" is contributing to the gap between coastal and urban communities, a councillor has said.

The Coastal Communities Alliance found one in five jobs paid below the living wage, with household income almost £3,000 lower than other areas.

Swanage councillor Debby Monkhouse said Dorset's Purbeck region had a serious problem with affordable housing.

The government said coastal communities played a "key role in levelling up".

Ms Monkhouse said: "In 2020, the rents in Purbeck went up the most anywhere in the UK, so that's a pretty shocking statistic.

"That means the key workers our community relies on - nurses, carers, paramedics - they often can't afford to live here."

In 2016, Dorset Council did a survey on Swanage and 10% of the people who responded reported close family members had to move away, Ms Monkhouse added.

"From other Dorset Council statistics the wait for a two-bed home to rent in Purbeck through the housing association is up to 28 years," she added.

The Coastal Communities Alliance report, which was commissioned by coastal groups and councils, also highlighted poorer health, education, transport and broadband links as issues.

Dorset schools ranked poorly in the league table of per capita funding, Ms Monkhouse said

Ms Monkhouse said 80% of the schools in the Dorset Council area were also underfunded.

House of Common figures for the South Dorset constituency showed funding per pupil placed it 468th out of 533 English constituencies, she said.

The report said the government needed to harness the "extraordinary potential of the coast" as a national asset, and invest heavily in renewable energy, and support high tech jobs and remote working.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said coastal communities "play a key role in levelling up and we continue to support them to improve their economies".

"Since 2012 we have invested over £229m through the Coastal Communities Fund to run 359 projects throughout the UK's rural and coastal communities helping to create jobs and boost businesses," it added.

It added Levelling Up funding of £2.1bn announced earlier this month would help "to create better-paid jobs and spread opportunity right across the country".