Prescott plans for cheaper housing (From Stroud News and Journal)

Prescott plans for cheaper housing

TOP Labour man John Prescott called for more affordable housing on sites like Cashes Green hospital when he visited Stonehouse yesterday.

The ebullient political heavyweight was cheered on by a crowd of Labour supporters as he praised Stroud candidate David Drew and visited the Stonehouse Neighbourhood Project.

Mr Prescott highlighted the importance of building on brown field sites and mentioned his plans to provide cheaper housing by keeping land in public ownership but allowing people to buy homes.

"With housing there is greater demand than there is provision," he told the SNJ.

"Since I have come in I have made it clear I want more houses built on brown field areas."

He said that vacant hospital sites like Cashes Green were an essential component for providing this type of housing.

"In rural areas there are concerns about affordable housing," he said.

"What we are looking at is land separated from the house prices so we can build houses for £60,000 and people can get on the housing ladder."

Mr Prescott added that it was important for Labour supporters to fight hard for the seat if they wanted to re-elect David Drew for a third term.

"He deserves to get back in again," he said.

"We need David back, we need these seats and we fight for every one of them."

Neighbourhood Project co-ordinator Beccy Partridge filled the deputy PM in on their campaigns to get people voting and their ground-breaking Fair Shares volunteering scheme.

She said: "It was a good visit and we were able to pass on a lot information."