NEW figures from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority show that, despite the park exceeding the target for the number of new homes completed, affordability in the area is still a problem.

Speedy processing of planning applications has meant the target of 500 dwellings, set by The North Yorkshire Structure Plan over the period 1991-2006, has already been exceeded by 124 properties with a further 260 homes having been granted planning permission.

But, while there is no housing shortage in the Dales, local people are still struggling to get on the housing ladder because of high prices.

The authority's head of planning, Peter Watson, said other ways to solve the problem were being investigated. "We now have 10,000 dwellings for 20,000 residents, and the number of dwellings has grown by 10 per cent in the last ten years. This is clearly more than enough to meet local needs, but the problem is affordability rather than availability. Average wages here are below those in other parts of the country and local people face competition from those seeking holiday and second homes.

"Unrestricted building has not solved the problem. Despite record levels of development, house prices have rocketed and that problem will remain no matter how many homes we allow. What needs to be done is targeting new build to meet local needs and that means, among other things, restricting the occupancy of new dwellings to local people."