‘Normal politics won’t stop it’: housing crisis dominates election in Hitchin

Hitchin, 35 minutes by rail from central London, is under huge housing pressure. Composite: The Guardian/Guardian Design Team

The green belt around Hitchin has rarely looked greener. A chlorophyll-friendly cycle of pouring rain and blazing sunshine has left the landscapes of this Hertfordshire-Bedfordshire constituency throbbing with midsummer life.

But these open fields and stands of oak are at the heart of the issue vexing so many voters here in this general election: how to crack the housing crisis.