'˜Families cannot afford homes'

The Leeds City Region needs around 10,000 new homes a year but just 7,000 a year are currently being built, it warns.

Across the area which covers West Yorkshire and its neighbouring districts, the average “entry-level” house price ranges from £109,000 in Barnsley to more than £167,000 in York and Harrogate.

The report says: “Average sale prices of newly built housing across the City Region are largely unaffordable to any households earning average incomes or less.”

“After several years of increases, there is now a decline in the levels of home ownership, indicating a period of ‘generation rent’ occurring in the housing market, which it is forecast to continue to grow.”

The report highlights a significant rise in the number of families in private rented homes which now accounts for around one-in-six households.

The growth in families in private rented housing has contribuited to a housing benefit bill for the city region which now stands at around £950m a year.

The number of people waiting for social housing currently stands at around 77,500.

While there is planning permission for around 60,000 homes in the area, 40,000 are on brownfield sites which are more difficult to develop.

The Leeds City Region also faces problems with low quality housing with 450,000 homes requiring measures to make them more energy efficient and 220,000 judged to be damp, cold or pose major hazards.

The report will be put before the West Yorkshire Combined Authority next week as it considers a new action plan.