With two weeks to go until the General Election, the County Press has been asking candidates in the Isle of Wight West constituency what they would do about housing.

Whether it's lack of affordable housing or high rental costs, the Island is facing somewhat of a housing crisis.

We asked all six MP hopefuls in the West how they would tackle the issue.

Here's what they said...

Cameron Palin, for the Isle of Wight Green Party, said: "There is a severe lack of affordable housing for Islanders to both rent and buy.

"I would push government to give the Isle of Wight Council additional funds and powers to impose rent controls, capping the price of rent private landlords can charge, and supporting them to deliver more affordable council homes.

"We have plans to deliver 150,000 council homes nationally every year for 10 years, whilst ensuring we deliver housing sensitively in small developments rather than large estates.

"Too often when new estates are built we find that local infrastructure is not there to support them, I would ensure government require all new developments to be accompanied by the extra investment needed in local health, transport, and other services."

Ian Pickering, for Reform UK, said: "The key issue with housing is long term planning. We need our young people to stay on the Island and secure its future for all of us. So this means thinking ahead ten years and more.

"I think we need to create a dynamic housing programme that starts with some young people learning the traditional building trades, entering the building profession and, in effect, build their own homes.

"We must examine the feasibility of building small developments in rural and urban areas for social rental and purchase that really are affordable.

"In doing so we can develop our community by bringing all age groups together in new housing projects and in doing so free up larger properties from those downsizing."

Island Labour's Richard Quigley said: "Every Islander deserves their own front door. There are 2400 households on the housing waiting list and 200 families in emergency accommodation.

"We need to build truly affordable homes, my preference would be social and council homes. 

"The Island needs to be more than somewhere people come to retire, we need to allow people to aspire and that means homes.

"The freedom to buy scheme will help first time buyers that can't save a large deposit, by offering a permanent mortgage guarantee."

For the Isle of Wight Conservatives, Bob Seely, said: "Let me tell you what I have done, and then my plan for the future.

"I secured changes to planning law to enable the Isle of Wight to claim exceptional circumstances, allowing us to protect our environment and prioritise building for Islanders.

"For too long, developers have built low-density, car-dependent developments on greenfield sites. This damages our environment, whilst the houses are not even built for Islanders.

"We need to build new homes in existing communities for Islanders.

"The council must use the power I have won for it.

"Nationally, we’re cutting stamp duty for first-time buyers and we’re launching a new Help to Buy scheme, helping more first-time buyers to own their own home."

Nick Stuart, of the Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats, said: "I've worked on housing relentlessly since being elected as councillor. Working with the council and local councils encouraging small scale rural community housing.

"And pushed the IW Council to work with phishing associations to deliver homes for rental locked to local needs in perpetuity

"Nationally this is a team game and our party are pushing for social housing support and the removal of an automatic Right to Buy.

"And on the IW a clear focus on the damage that large scale second home ownership and holiday hollowing out does to local villages, communities and a steady economy."

Rachel Thacker, for the Alliance for Democracy and Freedom Party (ADF), had not responded at the time of going to press.

  • For Isle of Wight East: Emily Brothers, Labour; David Groocock, Independent; Michael Lilley, Liberal Democrats; Vix Lowthion, Green Party; Sarah Morris, Reform UK; Joe Robertson, Conservatives.

(Image: Contributed)