Lamb addresses District Council on Affordable Housing

10.56.15pm GMT Fri 28th Nov 2003

Norman Lamb today addressed a special meeting of the Policy & Development Committee of North Norfolk District Council.

The meeting was called to discuss possible approaches to dealing with the affordable housing crisis facing North Norfolk.

Mr Lamb said: "I am delighted that District Council has put the affordable housing crisis at the top of its list of priorities. My mailbag is full of letters from young local people who are unable to find a first home in the areas they want to live."

Mr Lamb spoke on the issue of West Raynham airbase, where a large number of Ministry of Defence houses could be renovated to provide affordable housing. Recent letters sent to Mr Lamb by Ivor Caplin MP, a Minister of the MoD, suggested that progress could be made.

Mr Lamb said: "The decay of these homes is an absolute scandal. The local community and the school would benefit from development of this site."

Mr Lamb also talked of low energy housing schemes that are being developed elsewhere in the country and in Europe, and proposed that funding could be pursued for similar schemes in North Norfolk.