Infrastructure, Housing and the ‘Outsiders’

As landowners eye the potential rewards for putting forward their land for development, we are still faced with a lack of infrastructure to accommodate further housing needs. Have we been blind to the 'unlocking' of land in here in the Rochford District with 'bigger' infrastructure investments taking place right beneath our noses? Crossrail is due to commence in December 2018 and there are the second Dartford Crossing plans. These major infrastructure projects have the potential to unlock our District to people who can't afford to live in London but want to be able to get from 'A to B' in reasonable times. Will this put further strain on the supply of 'affordable housing' and is this a challenge our 'local' residents will now face as they try to compete for the same properties? Some might argue that this competition already exists and I would agree to a lesser degree, but we could see a further deluge of 'outsiders' coming into our areas. Our housing policies must be robust to ensure that those who already live in our district are not priced out. Will our district be able to cope with this housing crisis in the years to come? This is something that we need to work hard on to ensure that the District prospers for all.