'Affordable housing is the number one priority for Harborough in 2020' says council leader

Cllr Phil King said the authority will be motoring into overdrive to provide more homes to more people throughout the entire district.

The Conservative council chief spoke out as he wished residents a Merry Christmas and happy New Year.

Cllr King told the Harborough Mail: “Housing is right at the heart of what we do here in Harborough.

“We’ve got to find both short-term and long-term solutions for affordable properties.

“We have to crack on with delivering good-quality homes for people right across our patch.”

He added: “My children and everyone else’s children deserve the chance to buy homes locally.

“They shouldn’t have to be forced out of Harborough into towns and areas nearby.

“We are determined to give people the opportunity to stay near their families and friends and to live near where they work.”

Cllr King made the pledge as Harborough came fourth top in a national Yorkshire Building Society study charting where housing affordability has worsened most in 2019.

“That shows we face a seriously big challenge here.

“Harborough is understandably a very popular place to live and house prices are being driven up,” said the dad-of-three.

“Shared ownership is a big plus and is proving very popular.

“We are looking to provide more sustainable, affordable houses at Naseby Square in Harborough and on De Verdon Road in Lutterworth for a start.

“We are delivering hundreds of new quality houses every year around our district.

“But demand is relentless as more people come in and we’ll stay totally focused on supplying new homes people can afford to buy.”

Cllr King said Harborough council is committed to building huge new Strategic Development Areas at Lutterworth East and Scraptoft North.

“We want the best possible properties built there – some of the best in the UK.

“If we get housing right then so much else will flow down from there,” said Phil, who took over as council leader in May.

“We’ll also be working up a special rural strategy in 2020 as well as a strategy for young people.

“Community safety and wellbeing is crucial.

“We’ve got a top recycling rate, we’ve slashed cases of flytipping and we’ll also be investing in vital local infrastructure over the next 12 months.

“We are also drawing up new masterplans for Harborough and Lutterworth town centres to take us well into the future.

“We’ll be working those up into adopted plans and doing our utmost to attract new outside investment into our towns.”

A councillor since 2007, Cllr King said he was honoured to lead Harborough council into the third decade of the 21st century.

“I’m proud and privileged to have been chosen to be our council’s leader.

“We’ve got a new national Conservative government now with a big majority and it’s great to get Neil O’Brien re-elected as our MP.

“So we’ll finally get Brexit sorted out once and for all.

“The nation can start moving again after being paralysed for the last three years,” he said.

“And just like Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his MPs we’ll be working flat out to deliver for the people that we represent here in Harborough.

“We’re lucky to have such fantastic towns as Market Harborough and Lutterworth and to live in such a beautiful part of the country.

“These are exciting times – there’s a lot to be positive about and to look forward to in 2020.

“I’d like to wish everyone in Harborough district a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year – stay safe and have a brilliant festive time!”