The number of people waiting for affordable housing in one of the nation's second-home hotspots, north Norfolk, has more than doubled in five years, figures show.
The number of people waiting for affordable housing in one of the nation's second-home hotspots, north Norfolk, has more than doubled in five years, figures show.
Soaring property prices, coupled with second-homers taking up 9pc of houses, squeezed out people on lower incomes and triggered a 102pc rise in the waiting list between 2002 and 2007.
The rise is revealed in research by the National Housing Federation, which analysed waiting lists in the top 10 areas of England for second homes.
In north Norfolk - which has 4,677 second homes out of 51,602 properties - waiting lists have increased from 1,476 in 2002 to 3,275 in 2007.
North Norfolk District Council leader Virginia Gay said: “This is a situation that is very much on the minds of all councillors in north Norfolk.
“We care very much about our constituents, but there are limits on what any small district can do to alleviate this difficult situation.”
She added: “We are doing all we can, but my fear is that the situation could get worse in the current economic climate.”
Across the 10 areas, the average increase in people waiting for homes was 66pc - with the City of London the only place above North Norfolk, at 115pc.
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