Greens Provide New Homes Above Shops

In several towns across the UK, including Worcester, the Green Party is leading the way to providing new homes without concreting over the countryside. Worcester Green Party has championed a scheme to get the space above shops into use for housing and they are getting cross-party support. Communities Minister Marcus Jones has voiced his support for the city's 'Living Above Shops' (LOTS) campaign, saying that it could inject more life into retail areas.
The LOTS campaign was launched by Louis Stephen, the chairperson of Worcester Green Party. The push to turn them into flats has also won the support of Worcester Conservative MP Robin Walker.
The council does not need to buy the space, it simply does deals with shop owners who receive part of the rent.

The Green Party is fully prepared to put aside party differences to get schemes like this up and running. Unfortunately in Colchester very little has been done to get the space above shops into use. The borough council created 9 "apartments" by selling off Angel Court and some more from the former Telephone House but that's about it. And "luxury apartments" are not the most pressing housing requirement.