Bristol mayoral debate concentrating on housing. Mayoral candidates with their visions for the city and their ideas on housing â Bristol First, Independent: George Ferguson (Merchant Venturer), Conservative: Geoff Gollop, Respect: Neil Maggs, Green: Daniella Radice, Liberal Democrat: Jon Rogers, (Labourâs Marvin Rees pulled out on the day of broadcast). Mike Birkin from South West Friends of the Earth asks how candidates plan to cope with Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Picklesâ policy to have central government deciding on local planning issues? Discussion about Bristol General Hospital Developers, City & Country Group, who have decided not to include any affordable housing in their conversion of the hospital to luxury housing. Saying they will leave the place empty and derelict unless council planners agree. Jenny Allen from The National Housing Federation (NHF) asks how candidates intend to work with other local authorities: South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset Councils, to integrate housing policy? Discussion on plans for mass house building over Filton airfield once BAe Systems sell it off. Tony Crofts from his Clifton Housing Co-op asks why there are 40 acres of empty office space in the city, why is the construction industry failing to deliver housing and could this empty property be converted to housing? Candidates puzzle over how companies can afford to keep these buildings empty, is it a tax write-off? Contribution via a July recording of absent Labour candidate Marvin Rees who has promised to build 4000 social housing units in Bristol (we were hoping to ask him how he intends to fund this) but realised this afternoon he had double-booked with this Foyles bookshop event which began at 6pm.
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