THE shadow minister for housing recently attended a turf cutting ceremony for a new housing development in Redditch, on the site of the former Hewell Road swimming baths.

Emma Reynolds was at the site of the Accord Group development of 30 homes, worth £3.6million, with Redditch's Labour parliamentary candidate Rebecca Blake and Carl Taylor, director of Redditch Co-operative Homes, which is part of the Accord Group.

The development is due to be completed in March 2016 and will offer much-needed affordable homes for the town.

Ms Blake said: "There is a housing crisis in Redditch. Not enough houses are being built, including too few affordable homes and the rented market is often too expensive and insecure.

"I wanted to show Emma Reynolds, Labour’s shadow housing minister, how a Labour council is prioritising housing in Redditch by providing land for social housing, something local Conservatives voted against.

“Local people contact me with a variety of housing problems, it may be that they are struggling to save for hefty deposits, hindered by insecure work and wages that are too low, meaning many are living with parents into their 30s.

"Renting is expensive, letting agency fees can be a real barrier and too often people contact me who are overcrowded but cannot afford to upsize.

“We need a Labour government to build more quality homes, give more powers to local communities to get the houses needed and tackling the rent market. And a Labour government will prioritise building on brownfield sites”.

Ms Reynolds added: “This government has presided over the lowest levels of housebuilding in peacetime since the 1920s.

"Labour is committed to tackling this crisis by building more affordable homes, getting a fairer deal for private renters and abolishing the unfair Bedroom Tax.”