The former mining village of Horden in County Durham is crying out for change, according to an 18-year-old resident who has witnessed the housing crisis worsen throughout his lifetime. Robert Lodge, who grew up in Horden and lived on a street slated for demolition due to a compulsory purchase order, describes the housing problem as stark and unsurprising.
In a letter to the Guardian, Lodge notes that the situation deteriorated especially after ownership of homes shifted from housing associations to private landlords when he was a child. He expresses deep love for his hometown but acknowledges that it is an area desperately in need of transformation. The amount of press attention Horden receives underscores the severity of the issues.
Lodge himself feels part of the problem, as he is relocating to the saturated north-west to start a degree apprenticeship in Manchester. He did not want to leave but felt that opportunities at home were lacking. However, he intends to return to Horden in the future.
Despite the challenges, Lodge highlights positive developments, such as Ian McKellen's visit to formally open a new space for the theatre company Ensemble '84. As a young person, he feels a responsibility to promote optimism but sees no end to the housing spiral without legislative change, rather than temporary fixes.
Lodge finds it ironic that Horden scores as one of the least deprived areas in the country in terms of housing, yet ranks among the highest for every other measure of deprivation. He hopes his letter will prompt someone with legislative power to engage in an honest conversation about how the situation has developed. As the local saying goes, 'Shy bairns get nowt.'
