HIGH wage earners from "Metroland" are buying up Craven's properties and forcing the district's youngsters away from home.

Young people born and brought up in the area are unable to afford properties when they are ready to flee the nest and are having to seek cheaper housing out of the district, say local councillors.

A recent Craven District Council survey concluded that 37 per cent of respondents thought priority should be given to building economy homes at an affordable price for local people.

And at their latest meeting, the council's Independent members said the authority should step in and take urgent action to help its youngsters find homes in the area.

Group spokesman Coun Steve Place said: "In recent times house prices have doubled. A typical £42,000, two up two down has a present asking price of £80,000.

"Our local homes that should provide the bottom rung of the housing ladder for first time buyers are beyond the financial reach of our young people.

"They have to seek cheaper housing far away from home in less than ideal places, whilst high earners from Metroland snap up the vital properties as second homes, holiday cottages or investment properties."

He said it was the Independent group's aims to ensure the council establishes how many houses are required by locals in housing need, catalogue all land available for building local need housing, establish a working partnership with mortgage lenders, builders, developers and housing agencies and change the Local Plan to reflect housing need.

Coun Place said the council had taken some action by modifying its 10-year vision for Craven to reflect local people's housing fears. The overview and scrutiny committee has been tasked with ensuring the goals are met.

"Our duty is to make Craven a better and safe place to live for all our residents and at this moment in time the priority must be to help and enable them to stay in Craven if that is their dream," said Coun Place.