'Housing scheme will escalate crisis' (From Oxford Mail)

'Housing scheme will escalate crisis' (From Oxford Mail)

A SCHEME to offer council tenants the right to buy their homes at half price will escalate Oxford’s looming housing crisis, it was warned last night.

Most of the 8,000 tenants living in council homes will be able to get a 50 per cent discount if they buy their homes under the Government’s relaunched Right to Buy scheme, announced this week.

Ed Turner, deputy leader of Oxford City Council, warned the scheme would further escalate Oxford’s housing crisis, with 6,287 people already on the housing waiting list.

He said: “This is a throwback to the Thatcher era and it will make the housing shortage in Oxford a whole lot worse.

“The Government claims council homes will be replaced if they are sold, but has not made a commitment on whether ...