Maidstone Weald Labour Party

As part of the West Branchs continuing campaign on housing Leslie Turner sent the following letter to the KM:


Paul Francis (July 20th KM) comments on the proposal by Government for 3
million houses, with a share to be built in Kent, over the next 13
years, and alludes to fears of urban sprawl; in my opinion the first
consideration is that those houses are sorely needed, and above all
social houses to-rent are the greatest shortage. Previous governments
have had very much larger programmes, half as big again, and today not
only shortage driven high prices but also backlog and waiting lists make
such a programme imperative, particularly for young families and for
those on the average wage let alone the minimum wage, even with state
help. And its not just a political argument, between competing
politicians eager to be most forward-looking in providing essential
infrastructure, for, with skilled land planning as to numbers and
locations in the new Local Development Framework, with the experienced
and innovative architecture and building techniques now available, with
skilled landscape and tree-planting, our specialist firms and local
government are more than capable of producing townships we can not only
use conveniently but also be desirable and worthy living spaces. So
your readers should support all those who would undertake this task for
your children.

Yours sincerely, Leslie Turner, nearly 50 years in Maidstone