DOZENS of MoD houses are sitting empty in Devizes while there is huge demand for affordable housing in the town.

So says, Maria Hoult, the Conservative candidate for the vacant Devizes South Town Council seat.

Mrs Hoult, who is standing on a platform of a cleaner, greener and safer Devizes, has previously spoken out against the proposed development of 65 houses on a greenfield site in Hillworth Road.

“I can’t believe that we are contemplating building new houses on our precious green spaces when so many former homes stand empty,” said Mrs Hoult.

“So I invited Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, to join me in Sarum Drive and witness the sheer number of empty properties in that area which could be used to accommodate those most in need.

“It really is shocking when the housing list in Wiltshire keeps growing, housing associations like Sovereign are selling off properties in Snuff Street to private ownership, and here we have dozens of empty houses which could become homes for those who need them most”

She added: “I fully support Wiltshire Council’s pledge to build 1,000 new council houses in Wiltshire and want to ensure that a good number of those properties come to Devizes. It just seems like common sense to me that before we start building on new sites we should look at what we already have, including empty properties which would hopefully require very little work before families could move in”.

Councillor Iain Wallis of Devizes Town Council and Wiltshire Council accompanied Maria and Cllr Clewer on the visit to the area and has also spoken to Devizes MP Danny Kruger about the Issue.

Cllr Wallis said: “What is most upsetting is that when I stood for election in this ward just over four years ago many of these properties were empty then and are still empty now.

“We are told there is a shortage of affordable homes in Devizes and that has certainly been the message I am getting from residents. I believe we need to put more pressure on the Ministry of Defence for them to release these empty properties, which are just sat here deteriorating, and allow families to make them back in to homes once again.”

He added: “It is estimated that there are over 1,300 empty MOD properties in Wiltshire and despite previous attempts by Wiltshire Council to use them as short-term housing for refugees fleeing Afghanistan, there has been no positive response from the MOD.”

Devizes residents will vote on November 25th for their new town councillor in the by-election that follows the death earlier this year of Cllr Ray Parsons. The four candidates are Maria Hoult, Conservative; Margaret Green, Green Party; Paul Tweedle, Devizes Guardians and Vincent McNamara, Labour.