560 military homes in Stafford constituency will benefit from £9 billion national programme, says MP

Leigh Ingham, MP for Stafford, said 560 military homes across her constituency, will be upgraded thanks to the Government's £9 billion investment plan.

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Miss Ingham, who herself had relatives living in military accommodation, said the scheme was the biggest renewal of armed forces housing in more than 50 years.

Miss Ingham said nine in 10 service family homes would be upgraded or modernised under the investment, with14,000 rebuilt or fully refurbished. 

A new Defence Housing Service will also be created to keep homes in public ownership and ensure service families’ voices were heard, she said.

“This is fantastic news for our armed forces families here in Stafford," said Miss Ingham.

"For too long, military housing has been left to crumble, leaving families who serve our country in poor conditions.

"I have family members in forces accommodation right now, and the standard is just not good enough.

"Our community has a long and proud connection with the military, and this plan shows we’re serious about backing them with homes fit for heroes.”

She said the Government was honouring its promise to reverse years of decline that began when the Major government sold 7 36,000 service family homes in 1996.

Earlier this year, the Government bought back those homes in a deal she said would save £200 million a year, with the money being reinvested in fixing forces' housing.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “Our British forces personnel and our veterans fulfil the ultimate public service. Our nation is rightly proud of them, and the very least they deserve is a decent home.

“This new strategy will embed a ‘forces first’ approach that tells our forces, our veterans,and their families: #we are on your side'.”

Mr Healey said the Government was also using surplus defence land to build thousands of new homes for veterans, serving personnel and civilian families.