THE construction of crucial housing developments for young families in a Somerset village has moved a step closer. Cheddar Parish Council has agreed to look at proposals for affordable housing after a survey showed a massive demand for low-cost homes from

THE construction of crucial housing developments for young families in a Somerset village has moved a step closer.Cheddar Parish Council has agreed to look at proposals for affordable housing after a survey showed a massive demand for low-cost homes from young people struggling to get a foot on the property ladder. There are nearly 140 applications on file from families or people living alone looking for an affordable home in the village. Nearly 80 of these are young families.There are worries if the trend continues there will be fewer people able to run businesses and work in the area in future and the number of children attending first schools could drastically fall. Parish councillors want affordable homes to be built in Cheddar and will hear a presentation from Sedgemoor District Council officer Duncan Harvey on what could be built, and where, in June.The district council says young people are facing huge difficulties buying their first home and believes it is essential to build more homes in rural areas.Speaking at a meeting of the authority this week, Councillor Ceri Davies said: "If a developer builds less than 25 houses then it has no obligation to provide any affordable housing. This is why most developments are between 20 and 24 houses. "It's extremely annoying for us and people who have families here but cannot afford to live here."Councillor Dawn Hill said: "There is a very specific problem in this village that we need to look seriously at solving."There has been a survey that shows there is a large need and it would be very remiss of this council for it to be ignored.