City of York Council must continue working in partnership to bring forward York Central for the much-needed homes it will bring to York, which the current council envisaged would be built by 2011 as part of the city’s annual allocation.

Many people say we do not need more housing, but that is not what statistical forecasting is demonstrating. York needs more homes; fact. Every year many more people choose to live alone. And the country’s population is ageing, creating an increased need for housing. By 2026 there will be 2.4 million more older households nationally than today, a dramatic increase in those over 85 and a doubling of older disabled people by 2041.

Homes will need to be built for future workers to provide the services that the city needs. And the date when over half of the city’s population are over 60 is not far away.

Policy-makers need to look at the suitability of York’s current housing stock. Many homes in York are not suitable for people’s future needs and cannot be easily adapted. In time, these homes will need to be replaced but homes will need to be built first to allow that replacement to take place.

York desperately needs ‘Life Time Homes’, so that York residents can stay in their homes and communities when their circumstances change either due to age or disability.

York Central, along with York Northwest, offers the opportunity to provide such homes.

I first heard about York Central in 1996, before I became a councillor, and was told what a wonderful opportunity it would be for York. Thirteen years on and still there is no start date.

I hope that York does not have to wait another 13 years, or we will almost certainly have reached crisis point with York’s supply of housing.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, Labour spokesperson for housing, Salisbury Road, York.