THERE has been a dramatic increase in families and young people being made homeless as the Bridgwater area faces an unprecedented housing crisis. Startling figures in a report compiled by Sedgemoor District Council housing advice manager, Jerry Milton, reveals tenants are being driven out of the private sector – coinciding with the arrival of Hinkley workers – and there is not enough social housing to accommodate them. On April 1, there were at least 1,900 people on the housing register, but between April 2016 and March 2017, only 707 properties were advertised in Sedgemoor. There were 884 people on the housing register for a one-bedroom flat but only 224 advertised. Mr Milton says this demonstrates a shortage of affordable properties, particularly for young people. “Those driven out of the private sector because of high rents do not have the option of securing more affordable housing through the social sector,” Mr Milton said The report also highlights a significant increase in number of homeless applications in the past two years.
Bridgwater Mercury 6th June 2017 read more »