Geography Unit 2, Unequal Spaces Case Study 4 - Lack of affordable housing, Kingsbridge, south Devon

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The lack of affordable housing for people who live in and work in rural communities has been a serious problem for many years. Residents of Kingsbridge in south Devon value the fact that they live in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and appreciate the fact that the area's qualities mean that people are attracted to live and holiday there. However, there is a growing resentment of the increasing number of people owning second or holiday homes in the settlement, who are perceived to be pushing up local property prices and limiting the housing stock available to local people.

The local economy is sustained mainly through tourism, which primarily offers low-paid and seasonal employment. As house prices go up, few local people earn enough to buy or rent one. The median household income in the local area is £20 103 (2006 data), while the average house price is £330 068.

In Kingsbridge, there is a great sense of frustration over the lack of progress in extending affordable and appropriate housing to all. Many local people feel that they have been working on possible solutions for a long time, but that they have not received enough to implement them from the authorities who influence funding and policy.

Lack of affordable housing, Kingsbridge, south Devon