The need for more affordable homes to be built in the Norwich area has been stressed as house building becomes a central talking point ahead of the next election.
Analysis from the Home Builders Federation has revealed homes in England are in the worst condition of all European countries despite being more expensive to buy.
The report comes at a time when the average house price in Norwich stands at almost £300,000 and many find it increasingly difficult to get onto the property ladder.
David Thomas, Conservative candidate for Norwich South, said the city needs more houses "so young people who grow up here have the option of starting their own families in Norwich".
"The city council should be making it as easy and unbureaucratic as possible to turn brownfield land in Norwich into homes that are well-built and have the necessary infrastructure," he added.
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Nationally, at least 10pc of all major housing developments with 10 or more homes should consist of affordable housing.
Norwich City Council currently requires 33pc for developments consisting of 16 or more homes.
But many argue government guidelines are too vague - with ministers generally defining affordable properties as those with mortgage payments no more than those which would be paid in rent on council housing, but below market levels.
"Houses have become primarily assets and not homes, which has hugely inflated their prices with ultimately big finance, speculative capital and landlords the biggest beneficiaries," argued Norwich South MP Clive Lewis.
"The mass sell-off without adequate replacement of hundreds of thousands of social homes has denied vast numbers of people the option of a secure, affordable, decent place to live without either having to pay eye-watering private rents or make sky-high monthly mortgage payments.
"The mantra of ‘build more houses’ is nowhere near adequate response to the fundamental causes of the housing crisis.
"We need to discourage and tax corporate profiteering from housing speculation, as they do in other countries, and provide hundreds of thousands more social homes."
The Home Builders Federation report found 15pc of all English homes failed required quality standards, while 11.3 million people across the country spend more than 40pc on their household income on their home - more than any other country in Europe.
Speaking at this week's Labour conference in Liverpool, deputy leader Angela Rayner promised the largest increase in affordable housing "in a generation" if the party wins power.
Ms Rayner also vowed to "get tough" with developers who tried to "wriggle out" of their social obligations.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also told members at the party conference that his party would build "the next generation" of new towns, along with 1.5 million homes, as part of a "decade of renewal".
Alice Macdonald, Labour's candidate for Norwich North, said: "The Conservative government have totally failed to get to grips with the housing crisis which is having a real impact on people in our area.
"The Labour-led city council is working hard to deliver social housing like the recent new homes in Mile Cross but they need more power and resources to allow them to do more.
"We also need to ensure that when new homes are built vital infrastructure is put in place. In North Norwich, I have heard from many people that they are concerned that there are not the health or education facilities needed.
"That simply isn’t good enough."
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A 2021 local housing assessment concluded that more than 10,000 new affordable homes were needed across Greater Norwich.
This set out annual council targets of 95 in Broadland, 254 in Norwich and 169 in South Norfolk.
"Everyone deserves a secure, decent and affordable home - that is a basic human right." said the Green Party's candidate for Norwich South, city councillor Jamie Osborn.
"It is totally unacceptable that so many people in Norwich are forced to scramble for whatever substandard housing they can find while paying for huge mortgages and extortionate rent."
Mr Osborn also argued developers that do not meet the city council's 33pc affordable homes policy - such as those responsible for the controversial Anglia Square plans - should be "held to account".
"Simply building more houses will not on its own solve the crisis," he added.
"We need the government and the local council to prioritise genuinely affordable housing.
"For example, introducing controls on rocketing rents, investing in insulating homes to bring down energy bills and prevent damp, and building thousands more socially-rented homes."
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