RIBBLE Valley has had a long-standing problem with affordable housing.

It is natural for people to want to live where they grew up.

But in some places this is just not possible as first-time buyers are priced out of the market.

As a result, the waiting list for council housing in the borough is 13 years long, according to charity Shelter.

House prices stand at an average of £226,000, which is far higher than the national, never mind the regional average.

This is due to the large number of out-of-towners who want to live comfortably in the scenic surroundings that the district offers.

The council is right to make this issue a priority and needs support from the government.

Young people growing up in the Ribble Valley deserve the chance to be able to live there close to their families and hopefully their jobs too.

Without measures that ensure that more affordable housing projects and the implementation of social housing schemes, they do not stand a chance of staying in the area.

The only way to give people hope is for the government and political parties to make investment in the right sort of housing, within reach of first-time buyers, a top priority.