SOUTH Lakeland’s population is set to remain stagnant over the next 10 years, while three other areas of the county are due to see the number of inhabitants reduce by up to 2,900.

The latest population projections from the Office for National Statistics predict South Lakeland will have a zero per cent change between now and 2024, while Barrow, Allerdale and Copeland will all see the number of people living in the areas decline.

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Gareth Candlin, economic development manager for Invest in South Lakeland - which is part of South Lakeland District Council - said the figures showed there needed to be a focus on creating better jobs and more housing in the area.

“As a council it is our job to come up with the right policies to reverse these trends because what they are demonstrating is the continuing way we are going of losing our young people if they don’t have access to good jobs and accommodation,” he said.

“We need to make sure there are places where young people can live and have skilled jobs so they can earn a decent salary in the area.”

The council has made it a priority to create 1,000 new jobs in the area by 2025 and attract investment into 60 hectares of land earmarked for commercial development.

Mr Candlin said it was likely most of the employment would come from large or medium sized businesses that were already based in the area.

South Lakeland is expected to see a drop in population because of natural causes, but is expected to break even because of migration into the area.

The ONS figures say the population living in the Barrow Borough Council area is set to fall by 4.3 per cent, or 2,900 people.

Copeland is expected to see a drop of 2.4 per cent and Allerdale 0.2 per cent.

Eden has a projected rise of 0.2 percent.

Nationally it is estimated that migrants will add four million to England's population in just eight years. The UK headcount is expected to soar by 7.5 per cent with most of the growth by 2024 expected to be in the South and East.