Great Torrington Town Council vote to declare a housing emergency

On Thursday 2nd September, Great Torrington Town Council, like many other councils in our area, voted:

“To declare: that we, as a Town Council, acknowledge and agree that Great Torrington is in a housing emergency; For Great Torrington Town Council to write to Torridge District Council and ask that they also declare a housing emergency, For Great Torrington Town Council to lobby Robert Jenrick – the Housing Minister- to prioritise the building of affordable new homes for local occupancy.”

Councillors have seen that there is an increasing lack of local housing in the area, and that this, along with a rapid rise in house prices (in an often low income area) means that local people are struggling to find homes that they can afford. The Council is concerned that if nothing is done, it has the potential to have a devastating impact on our community in the long term. It is vital that those who want to remain in this area, to work and raise their families, are able to do so by choice rather than economic factors.