The Manx Labour Party has expressed its wish to be involved in the debate around a national housing strategy.

In a letter to Minister for Policy and Reform Ray Harmer, the party said it had held public discussions on the matter and ’identified areas which require attention’.

The government has stated that the ultimate objective of the 2021 national housing strategy is to ensure that the island has ’suitable, affordable and accessible housing for all residents’

The main issue Manx Labour called to attention was the general question of affordable housing, but stressed this should not be the ’absolute focus’ of any housing strategy.

Other areas highlighted included: the need for ’not-for-profit’ housing, difficulties for first and second time buyers, the maintenance and renewal of local authority housing, and government support towards insulation and environmental home improvements, alongside training for construction firms.

The party also expressed a ’high level of concern’ that government and construction companies are choosing greenfield development [projects on undeveloped land] ’too readily’, calling instead for more priority to be given to environmental targets and ensuring brownfield development (previously developed land that is not currently in use) takes precedence.

Party chair Sarah Maltby, the first candidate to announce her intention to run in September’s general election for Douglas South, said that in the constituency she had concerns for both first-time buyers and for the challenges older people face when they wish to downsize or move to sheltered housing.

She added that it should be a government priority to make it ’easier and more attractive’ for homeowners to improve their home’s energy efficiency, calling the currently available government ’too restrictive’.