Flats nearly half of town housing stock

The news was revealed as Bournemouth Borough Council's blueprint for housing in the town was unveiled.

More than 80 per cent of new developments built in the Bournemouth over the last 10 years were flats.

Councillors and environmental experts on the council's sustainable environment overview panel were the first to receive Bournemouth council's draft housing strategy.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Lisa Northover said she had personal experience of the shortage of family homes in the town.

"I know people who have the money to buy a three or four-bedroom home, but they are not there to buy," said Cllr Northover.

Figures in the report on affordable housing made stark reading. The average house in Bournemouth costs more than £200,000 - 12 times the average annual income, it said.

And panellists learned that Dorset's sky-high housing prices were at odds with the county's low salaries.

The report said salaries in the county had been historically below the national average.

Cllr Lynda Price told the Daily Echo that Bournemouth needed to attract industries that pay high salaries.

"Wages are too low. We need to bring jobs to the area that pay well - small companies that are involved in art and design, for example," said Cllr Price.

Council house building is now again a government priority, the report said.

Councillors welcomed the chance to build new council homes in Bournemouth. "There is a will and a desire within the council to build council houses," Cllr Ian Lancashire, the panel's vice chairman, told the Daily Echo.

Panellists heard that more than 2,000 homes stood empty in Bournemouth in April this year. More than 600 had been empty for more than six months.

Speaking after the meeting, overview panel chairman Cllr Mark Anderson said homes standing empty for a long period were of greatest concern.

The master plan for house building in the town will run until 2011. A final draft of the report is expected to go to the cabinet next February.