Lib Dems are delivering affordable homes while other parties only talk about them

Liberal Democrat Mayoral candidate Martin Tod has accused other parties of “talking about” the affordable housing crisis while claiming that Liberal Democrat councils across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are already delivering thousands of genuinely affordable homes.

Mr Tod said soaring rents and house prices were putting increasing pressure on families across the region – but argued that Liberal Democrat-led councils were showing what could be achieved through sustained support for  council housing.

“Rents are crazy. House prices are crazy. And across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, the Liberal Democrats are leading the way in fixing the problem,” said Mr Tod.

He highlighted the progress made in Lib Dem council areas across the region, including new council homes in Winchester and Whiteley, affordable housing planned at One Horton Heath in Eastleigh, with the biggest increase in council homes coming from Lib Dem-led Portsmouth.

“Properly planned. With infrastructure. And more to come,” he said.

Winchester more than halfway to 1,000-home target

In Winchester, the Liberal Democrat administration set a target in 2019 of delivering 1,000 new council homes.

Since 2020, the council has built or acquired 364 new affordable homes, with a further 124 currently under construction. Plans agreed on August 25 to develop around 44 new homes at St Peter’s car park in the centre of Winchester would take the total to 532 homes – more than half of the original target.

Mr Tod, who is currently Leader of Winchester City Council added: “Here in Winchester, the Liberal Democrats are absolutely committed to council housing”.

“Since 2020, we’ve built or bought 364 new affordable council homes and another 124 are being built now. The extra 44 proposed for St Peter’s car park come on top of that and take us more than halfway towards our goal of 1,000 new council homes.”

The council has also recently agreed to sell its Bar End Depot site for a development of more than 82 affordable homes alongside a community shop.

Mr Tod said the projects demonstrated that, like other Lib Dem councils, the council was not simply setting targets, but actively using its land and resources to increase the supply of affordable housing.

Lib Dem councils leading regional housebuilding

Figures from the Government’s affordable housing statistics show that, since 2020, Liberal Democrat-led councils in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have delivered more than twice as many council houses as all the other councils in the rest of the area combined.

Portsmouth has delivered more council homes than any other council in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, while Winchester has delivered more affordable homes than any other council in the region.

Mr Tod said the figures showed a clear difference between Liberal Democrat-controlled authorities and councils that had failed to match their level of delivery.

“There’s only one party in Hampshire that doesn’t just talk about the importance of social and affordable housing, but gets on and delivers it,” he said.

“Since I’ve been Leader, Winchester has been the number one council in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for delivering affordable homes. And Lib Dem-led councils have also delivered more council homes than all the other councils in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight added together.”

Eastleigh secures £154.4m housing investment

The Liberal Democrat-led Eastleigh Borough Council also announced on August 25 that it had secured £154.4 million from Homes England to deliver 1,042 new social and affordable homes over the next decade.

The council has been selected as a Strategic Partner for Homes England’s Social and Affordable Homes Programme 2026–2036.

Mr Tod said the announcement demonstrated the scale of ambition being shown by Liberal Democrat councils across the region.

He argued that while the Labour Government had made affordable housing a political priority, the test was whether that ambition translated into homes that people on ordinary incomes could actually afford.

“The best thing about Eastleigh’s plans is their absolute commitment to infrastructure. People across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight don’t need more promises about affordable housing. They need affordable homes to be built. those need to be  genuinely affordable and they need the right infrastructure,” said Mr Tod.

“The Liberal Democrats are showing that it is possible to deliver, by building council homes, using public land and brownfield sites effectively and making sure new developments are properly planned with the infrastructure communities need.”

With the Mayoral election approaching, Mr Tod said he would make housing delivery a central priority, arguing that the region needed a major increase in the supply of genuinely affordable homes alongside investment in infrastructure and sustainable communities.

“The housing crisis isn’t going to be solved by announcements alone,” he said.

“We need to get on and build the homes people need in the places that are right for them. That’s what Liberal Democrat councils across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are already doing – and we need much more of it.”