By Isle of Wight Observer
I recently met the people responsible for finding homes for Ukrainian families on the Island. Do you remember when the Russians invaded Ukraine, some amazingly generous people opened their homes to those fleeing danger? Unsurprisingly, they don’t have limitless patience, and having strangers stay in your home is a huge ask for anything more than a short while.
I’m usually inclined to help people, but I couldn’t have done what these exceptional Islanders have done. We all know, there’s a chronic shortage of property for rent on the Island and, as with everything else, shortages force prices up. The people trying to find longer-term homes for the 150 or so Ukrainians still here told me the going rate for a 3-bedroom home is around £1,200 a month, assuming you can find anything. A week after hearing this, I overheard a man with a strong Brummie accent objecting to any more new homes on the Island. He seemed sure that MP Bob Seely was opposed to new-build homes, and has persuaded the government that the IW is a special case!
I do understand why some believe the presence of refugees adds to our housing crisis, even when it’s someone who’s moved here from Birmingham. But this particular Brummie was oblivious to his drawbridge ‘I’m alright Jack’ mentality. The housing shortage is a nationwide problem and, surely, it’s right that we do our bit. Of course, refugees, immigration and population growth add to the pressures, but they’re not to blame.
The responsibility for our housing mess belongs firmly at the door of government, but it’s our fault too. We’re blessed to live in a beautiful place. This week I walked at Mottistone, up through the bluebell woods, bathed in warm spring sunshine. Rightly, our natural landscape is highly protected, but we have lots of other places, including the old prison estate in Newport. If only our politicians had tried harder, thousands of extra homes could’ve been built there. I’m not suggesting they’re all built now, but people should already be living in homes there. The only alternative to constructing desperately-needed housing is to control population growth, and how exactly would you do that?
Our world is an increasingly troubled place, and it’s possible climate change will force millions more people to move in years ahead. Our elected representatives always run scared of NIMBYs. Beleaguered Bob, and Tories like him, fear expressing even a modicum of enthusiasm for new houses because they think it’s a vote loser. That’s why he tells Brummies he’s against them.
Last Friday, I wrote about the growing number of young people who suffer with poor mental health. Who knew Rishi reads the IW Observer?
Like everyone else, when I was a 20-something, I knew that if I worked hard, I could save enough money to buy a flat. One hundred per cent mortgages were still a thing then, and most employers would exaggerate your income, to make the numbers work for the building society. I lived in Twickenham, where the average price of a one-bed flat was £35,000. My income was around £15,000, so having saved a couple of grand – by working seven days a week – I soon had enough to complete on a little flat that cost three times my annual income. With inflation, similar employment now pays around £40,000, which should mean the same flat costs £120,000. Rightmove tells me the current asking price for similar flats is £400,000. Unsurprisingly, at that price, very few young people have any hope of buying. Perhaps that’s why so many of them lose hope and give up trying?
Our NIMBYism is directly responsible for politicians’ fear and weakness. We should all be ashamed of ourselves and change our attitude.