CAMPAIGNERS have emphasised the urgent need for more affordable housing in the area, after only a fraction who responded in a recent survey said it should be one of the district’s priorities.

Of the 1,500 people who responded to Epping District Council’s survey, over a third, 32.4 per cent, responded that protecting and enhancing green spaces should be the top priority over the next two decades.

Only 11 per cent thought that housing should be a priority, despite figures released recently that showed that Epping has provided planning permission for only 317 affordable homes, less than 50 per cent of the total required in the Government’s rural homes quota, in the year between April 2010 and April 2011.

The choices will be taken in to consideration by councillors when formulating the district’s Core Planning Strategy, in which they determine what the priorities are in how the council’s land will be used.

But campaigners have warned that many already struggle to find accommodation in the area and an increase in the amount of affordable housing could strengthen the area’s rural character.

Sarah Lee, head of policy at the Countryside Alliance, said: “Having more affordable housing is incredibly important if we want our rural communities to survive.

“We need strong rural communities in which young people and families live, and if they are not to move to cheaper urban areas, they need to be able to afford homes.”

Michael Chapman is one of the trustees of the Epping and Theydon Garnon Joint Charities Trust.

He said the ancient housing charity constantly has a waiting list for its flats due to the lack of affordable and social housing in the district.

He said: “I think that are often wary of social housing developments because they think they will have hoodies and problem families on their doorstep.”

“I think that the way the green belt is drawn is sometimes very tight. There are sites where areas could be developed and the spaces around could still be enjoyed.

“I think the council’s priority should be getting a balance between what the needs of the area are and formulating ways of coping with those needs.”

Andrew Smith is part of the Meadow Watch group, who campaign against developments on green belt land in the district.

He said: “I completely agree with the residents who chose protecting green spaces as their top priority.

“The point of the green belt is to prevent us our future generations from spoiling these areas. There are parts of already developed areas that could be used better.”

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