Title: Grantham’s Housing Shortage: New Development Only Partial Solution
A recent affordable housing initiative in Grantham has been labelled as ‘insufficient’ in view of the spiralling housing waiting list. The property development, dubbed Knapp House, is situated in Swinegate, comprising 21 homes, and is scheduled to open its doors in November. South Kesteven District Council’s housing cabinet member, Councillor Virginia Moran, stressed that although the council has built roughly 125 homes in the past two years, the housing waiting list has seen a steep rise, climbing from 1,000 to 1,500 individuals.
A factor often pointed out by critics as contributing to the impacting the availability of affordable housing is the Right to Buy scheme, implemented initially by the government of Grantham’s own Margaret Thatcher. Since its beginning in 1980, the scheme has facilitated over two million council tenants across the country to buy their homes at a reduced price. However, Councillor Charmaine Morgan from Grantham St Vincents ward voiced worries about the diminishing amount of council-owned properties, which have fallen from 9,728 in 1980 to just 5,800 in 2025.
Nonetheless, there remains considerable support for the Right to Buy scheme. Grantham Councillor Richard Davies, also the leader of the Conservative group on Lincolnshire County Council, applauded the scheme as being ‘revolutionary.’ Davies emphasised the heightened sense of community and monetary investment the scheme has cultivated. However, modifications implemented by the Labour government last year, involving amendments to discounts and eligibility criteria, could potentially slow the scheme’s progress.
The ongoing discussion underlines the struggles of local authorities in trying to juggle homeownership expectations with the urgency for affordable housing solutions. With expectations of more adjustments and a push to construct more homes, the future of housing in Grantham and South Kesteven is still a pressing concern for the community.
This story was adapted by The Lincoln Post from original reporting by www.bbc.com.
