Stroud MP Dr Simon Opher has called for urgent action to tackle the district’s deepening housing crisis, as new figures reveal soaring prices, a lack of affordable homes, and hundreds of properties standing empty.
One major setback has been the collapse of the Brimscombe Port development, which would have delivered 150 much-needed homes but has been stalled since the developer withdrew earlier this year.
House prices in Stroud are now more than ten times average local earnings, while average rents have risen to almost £1,000 a month. Yet across the district:
- Nearly 1,000 homes have been left empty for more than six months.
- Over 500 second homes stand vacant for much of the year.
- Each year, around 850 people present as homeless.
- More than 4,000 households are stuck on the council’s waiting list.
- Fewer than 500 rental properties become available annually.
At the same time, just 200 new homes are currently under construction across the constituency – less than half the number required each year to meet local demand.
Mr Opher said: “Stroud is one of the hardest places in the country to rent or buy a home. Families are being priced out while hundreds of properties sit empty. It cannot be right that so many people are left without security or stability. We need urgent action to bring empty homes back into use, unlock stalled sites like Brimscombe Port, and deliver genuinely affordable housing for local people.”
The MP is calling for:
- A district-wide strategy to bring long-term empty homes back into use.
- Prioritisation of affordable and social housing in all new developments.
- National support to unlock stalled sites and deliver homes more quickly.
- Housing policy that puts local residents’ needs ahead of speculative demand.
He added: “The housing crisis in Stroud is about more than statistics – it is about people. Behind every number is a family searching for security and a place to call home. Stroud deserves better, and I will keep pressing until we see the action our communities need.”
