Rising prices have put homes out of reach of locals in Devon

A public meeting is being held at the Kings Arms Hotel in Kingsbridge on Monday evening by the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC).

The findings will be used to inform a new government commission to look at providing affordable rural housing.

Kingsbridge is one of eight English towns selected for the inquiry.

Dr Stuart Burgess,chairman of the CRC, said: "The lack of affordable housing is an England-wide phenomenon, but its impact on rural people and communities can be particularly severe and demands immediate attention, which is why we have set up this urgent inquiry.

"We want to hear about the problems facing the local communities in different parts of the country, directly from the communities themselves.

"We also want to hear how these problems are impacting on peoples' lives and the future of the community, what action people would like to see happen to address these problems and what is making these problems worse or better."

People are stretched just to get their foot on the bottom of the ladder Sue Southwell

Sue Southwell, a rural housing enabler for the South Hams area, said: "The big thing here is second homes.

"Salcombe and Kingsbridge have a very high proportion, one of the highest in the country. House prices continue to go up.

"They are now about seven times higher than the average household income - people are stretched just to get their foot on the bottom of the ladder.

"Many more are simply unable to afford a home at all."

She said planning issues in the area, much of which is a designated Area of Outstanding Natrual Beauty, created problems.

"Balancing the need to preserve the local environment with the need for more homes is very difficult.

"The cost of land suitable for new housing is very high, often pricing out the development of new affordable housing."

Local people who are unable to attend the event can fill out the online questionnaire or send comments to the freepost address: Rural Housing Inquiry, Commission for Rural Communities, Countryside Agency, FREEPOST GR1422.