Developers of homes in the Lake District could be asked to share their profits to help ease the affordable housing crisis.

The novel idea would see a "community fee" being charged on those who build homes within the national park.

Lake District National Park Authority member Maureen Colquhoun, who has proposed the idea, said enough cash might be generated for the authority to form its own housing association, or buy properties which could then be rented out in perpetuity at affordable levels.

Miss Colquhoun's motion is due to be discussed by members of the authority on Tuesday.

She is asking the LDNPA to liaise with both the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, in a bid to allow the authority to take on a more "up front" role in providing local housing.

"Our largest single problem is the provision of housing for local people," she said. "Affordable housing has become a cynical phrase that just isn't worth the paper it is written on. This motion is an attempt to radicalise the park to make sure it delivers, or helps to deliver, local housing.

"I have been very distressed with the extent to which the Lake District is exploited by developers and that at every planning committee meeting I line the pockets of these people who put nothing back into the national park.

"It is only fair that those who seek to develop pay back a proportion of their profit to the park communities."

Miss Colquhoun said she was not talking about someone building an extension to his or her home, but rather those building a house or houses that they would sell for profit.

The exact level of payment would be based on a percentage of profits, but Miss Colquhoun said she did not have the expertise to recommend a figure. She hoped if members supported the idea then officers would investigate further.

Miss Colquhoun, who would like a decision to be reached by January next year, said that the Audit Commission had already highlighted the issue in a report earlier this year.

LDNPA spokesman Mick Casey stressed that no decision had yet been taken but added: "The authority has repeatedly said that affordable housing is a top priority and we will have to wait and see what the outcome of the debate is next Tuesday."

Martyn Nicholson, managing director of housebuilder Russell Armer, said discussions about restricting a significant proportion of new development in the national park to affordable housing were taking place during the current review of the Cumbria and Lake District Joint Structure Plan.

If a "community fee" was imposed instead, Mr Nicholson said it would be an acceptable alternative.

Mr Nicholson said developers were willing to cooperate on affordable homes, but warned that if a "community fee" became too high it could have the effect of putting off land owners and developers and actually reducing the amount of property available.