1,700 too few homes built in Shropshire

The National Housing Federation's Home Truths report claims that there was a shortfall in housebuilding in the county of 1,654 properties between 2011 and 2016.

At the same time, the county contained 1,526 long-term empty homes, and 1,475 second homes, putting pressure on the market and driving the average property price up to £218,684.

While there is no comparable figure for the building shortfall in Telford, the borough is home to 467 empty properties and 184 second homes.

The figures also reveal that the average property in Shropshire is valued at 8.5 times the mean annual earnings in the county, while in Telford buyers face prices worth 6.9 times the typical yearly pre-tax salary.

The association also said the West Midlands faces a shortfall of 45,000 homes.

The managing director of the Wrekin Housing Trust has contacted all general election candidates in the county in an effort to highlight the "crisis" in the housing sector, and indicating the trust's readiness to build the homes required.

Wayne Gethings said: "Housing associations need long-term certainty of funding to continue to run supported housing and develop new schemes.

"This will ensure those who have the greatest needs are provided with a secure, safe place to stay. In its current form the proposed new system does not provide that certainty and puts the future of supported housing at risk.

“Also, people on lower incomes living in the rented sector are facing a growing gap between the support they receive towards their rent, known as the Local Housing Allowance (LHA), and the actual rents they pay.

"This is because the allowance is set at a low level and has been frozen for four years from 2016. I am calling on the next government to undertake an evaluation of its housing policies to ensure that it better meets the needs for people on low incomes, including vulnerable and older people.”

The figures also show that the typical monthly rents in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin are below the national average, at £579 and £569 respectively.

Mr Gethings added: "“Housing associations currently build around a third of new homes each year and have a housing offer for everyone - with affordable and market homes for rent and sale.

"Housing associations will work with the Government to ensure families who rent get a better deal, by offering tenants greater certainty through new, purpose-built affordable rented homes tenancies of up to five years.”