(source: East Anglian Daily Times by Emma Brennan)
Fears that some local people will be forced to move away from their home village to get a foothold on the property ladder have led to a housing needs survey.
Long Melford Parish Council is carrying out the village wide survey in partnership with Community Action Suffolk.
According to the parish council, one of the problems facing young people, families and even older people in many rural communities is finding somewhere to live locally which they can afford and is appropriate to their needs.
Feedback from the completed questionnaire will provide the council with a picture of local housing need, which will in turn help to inform any future developments in the village.
John Watts, who chairs the parish council’s Working Group on Affordable Housing, said: “Property prices remain high in Long Melford and the supply of affordable homes to buy or rent is limited.
“With help from volunteers we are delivering a housing needs questionnaire to every home within Long Melford.
“The survey has been compiled and will be analysed in confidence by Sunila Osborne, the Suffolk rural housing enabler with Community Action Suffolk.”
Mr Watts praised Ms Osborne for the advice and support she had given the parish council and for securing the co-operation of Hastoe Housing Association, which has given a financial contribution towards the cost of the survey.
The completed questionnaire needs to be returned to Community Action Suffolk by February 15. Additional copies can be obtained from Long Melford Library.
Mr Watts added: “It is vital that all residents complete and return the questionnaire as the housing needs of the village are so important to everyone.
“If anyone needs help in completing the form they can contact Sunila on 01473 345344.”
(News story reproduced with kind of permission East Anglian Daily Times, story by Emma Brennan)