Hitchin MP celebrates £9bn housing boost for local military families

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALISTAIR STRATHERN MP

WEDNESDAY 5^th NOVEMBER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Alistair Strathern, MP for Hitchin, has welcomed a major boost for local military families as the Government has announced a £9 billion Defence Housing Strategy – the most ambitious plan to fix forces housing in a generation.

Families in military homes across Hitchin and the East of England are set to benefit from the strategy. It will see 9 in 10 forces family homes across the country (40,000 houses) upgraded or modernised over the next decade, including more than 5,000 homes across the East. The plan includes the creation of a new Defence Housing Service to better support military families and ensure homes are kept in public hands.

Having campaigned on the state of armed forces accommodation on local bases at Chicksands and Henlow since he was first elected, Mr Strathern has welcomed this week’s announcement.

The strategy follows the Government’s landmark deal earlier this year, also long campaigned for by Strathern, for 500 homes in his constituency, and 36,000 nationally, to come back into public ownership.  The buy-back will save over £200 million annually in rent payments, now reinvested into fixing and upgrading military accommodation.

The new strategy also ensuring priority access for veterans and serving personnel on any new houses build on MoD land. This could total over 100,000 new homes to address housing shortages across the country and tackle the particular housing challenges facing veterans and their families.

Alistair Strathern MP said:

“This is a long-overdue investment in the people who serve our country.

“Military families in our area deserve homes that reflect the sacrifices they make for our safety.

“For too long, they’ve been let down by poor-quality housing and broken promises.

“This plan will change that – delivering homes fit for heroes and putting forces families first.

“Coming off the back of record military pay rises and a crucial step up in investment in our armed forces, it’s another important part of our commitment to do right by those who serve on behalf of our country”

Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:

“Our British forces and veterans fulfil the ultimate public service. The very least they deserve is a decent home. This strategy tells our Armed Forces community: we are on your side.”

Notes for Editors

You can see more information in this Government press release.

Under the previous Government, satisfaction with Service Family Accommodation fell to record lows, with two-thirds of homes deemed ‘no longer fit for purpose’ by the Defence Select Committee.