Wellingborough by-election: How to tackle the housing crisis

Lots of new homes are being built in Wellingborough but are they affordable?

As Wellingborough prepares to choose a new MP, voters in the Northamptonshire constituency have been telling the BBC what is uppermost in their minds. The candidates have responded to their questions on how they could make things better.

The by-election is taking place on Thursday, 15 February.

'What are you going to do to tackle the housing crisis?'

Stacey Moore's daughter is sofa surfing at the moment

Stacey Moore, 38, is an office administrator and has seen first hand how hard it is for some people to find a home locally.

"My daughter has been homeless for the last year. She's sofa surfing and because she's not deemed to be vulnerable, she's low down on the [social housing waiting] list. There are 70 or 80 people above her every week," she said.

"We are building houses in Wellingborough for commuters who are working in London, but they're unaffordable for local people.

"My daughter's moving to Derby because she think's she stands more of a chance of getting a home there."

What the candidates say (in alphabetical order)

Ana Savage Gunn - Liberal Democrat

Building homes is key. We would loosen planning and zoning regulations and stop big housing companies from "land banking". We would increase housing density, build on "grey" ex-industrial sites, stop no fault evictions, limit rent increases and extend tenancies for security

Ben Habib - Reform UK

Slash immigration and reduce the demand for housing. Simplify planning regulations so brownfield sites can more easily be repurposed (for example the plans for the centre of Wellingborough) and reduce the building regulations being imposed by net zero so that the cost of creating new housing and repurposing existing housing is not prohibitive. 

Helen Harrison - Conservative

The government has taken proactive steps to address the housing crisis by pledging to construct one million homes during this parliamentary term. It is essential that we prioritise responsible development while also focusing on the areas of greatest need. This is why I back the government's Rwanda Bill, as illegal immigration is having a huge impact on our local council and housing services. 

Gen Kitchen - Labour

There is a chronic shortage of decent, secure and affordable housing and a toxic mix of rising rents, the cost-of-living crisis and a failure to end no-fault evictions is hitting the most vulnerable. Labour will ensure everyone has the foundation of a good and secure home, and end the bottleneck of millions waiting for affordable housing, by bringing forward the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation.  We will also end no-fault evictions.

Will Morris - Green Party

This problem dates back to the Tories selling off council stock. It has been made worse by new developments being seen as investment opportunities, not homes. We need to rebuild our council controlled stock at fair rents to solve this issue. A proper home is a right not an option.

Andre Pyne-Bailey - Independent

The housing model has to be reformed. We need to build more hostels for the young and homeless to support them in the short term whilst helping them to get steady financially rewarding jobs so they can afford to get their own property. 

Marion Turner-Hawes - Independent

As our MP, issues about homelessness, affordable and accessible housing will be at the top of my list of priorities. I plan to work with local specialist community support groups to make sure that emergency systems set up to support rough sleepers and homeless people are working. I would collaborate with local councils, housing associations and community advocates and explore "community ownership" housing models, where smaller scale housing is built and let out at truly affordable rents to help people in urban and rural parts of this constituency live in the communities they come from.

Kevin Watts - Independent

We need real social housing built by local councils and paid for by the government. This will not only employ local builders and put money back into the community, it will also build much needed housing for our local people in need.

Three of the candidates - Nick the Flying Brick, Alex Merola from Britain First and Ankit Love Jay Mala - did not reply to our request to take part.