West country affordability problem highlighted

A new survey has revealed how the lack of affordability in the south-west of England is a major problem, particularly for younger people, according to one of the bodies behind the study.

The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) said the poll it ran jointly with Mendip Housing and the Aster Group at the Glastonbury Music Festival last month showed that 27.8 per cent of young people were still living at home with their parents due to an absence of the sort of homes they want.

Wendy Murphy, CIH chair for the region, commented that the affordability situation was the worst anywhere in the UK outside London.

She stated: "The region has for some time had the biggest affordability gap, between average earnings and average house prices, together with the biggest gap between the supply and demand for new homes."

Those living in the south-west region may look to self build as a way of overcoming this housing problem for themselves.

Earlier this month urban research body the Centre for Cities said the region's largest centre of population, Bristol, is one of the worst cities in the UK when it comes to a lack of affordable homes for people such as key workers.