IT was a busy bank holiday weekend, with a trip to London to appear on Westminster Hour on Sunday evening.

The main focus of the discussions this week was how we can resolve the national housing crisis and incentivise more construction.

It is good news that new homes are being started at their fastest rate in six years, but years of demand outpacing supply means there is more work to do.

One of the ways to do this is to help people who want to build their own home. For too long, the idea of self-build has been associated with expensive projects on Grand Designs – and the Government is right to look at why we lag so far behind our European counterparts.

One of the biggest barriers was affordable housing levies charged on any development. The Community Infrastructure Levy added charges of up to £11,700 to a single family home, often rendering it completely unviable – so the Government has now exempted self-build projects.

But there is more to be done; the Government wants to scrap all affordable housing charges for developments of up to ten homes, helping much-needed smaller schemes get off the ground.

However, communities are about much more than the homes within them.

I was delighted that the Chalke Valley Community Hub was awarded “Village Shop and Post Office of the Year”at the Countryside Alliance Awards.

It is testament to the community spirit in Broad Chalke that the Hub has been such a success.

The judges commented that it had “set the bar very high”, and I am glad the efforts of the volunteers have been rightly recognised.

I was very sorry not to be able to make the Salisbury Big Business Event this year due to obligations in Westminster.

As ever, the organisers have pulled in excellent speakers and facilitated worthwhile networking opportunities that businesses across the area can benefit from.

I look forward to returning to the constituency for a busy day on Friday, followed by the 1st Boscombe Down Scout Group’s charity auction on Saturday.