SOUTH Lakeland District Council is making progress on its priority to deliver more affordable housing, a meeting was told.

Cabinet member for finance, Cllr Andrew Jarvis, said 29 affordable homes had been delivered during the last three months.

He said it was a “critical issue” for South Lakeland where high house prices put properties out of the reach of local people wanting to stay in the community.

The council’s work was also praised by Coniston councillor Anne Hall, a long-standing campaigner for affordable housing who received an MBE in 2017 for her services to the community.

Cllr Hall said SLDC had done “much good work” to support the Coniston community, where the lack of affordable housing was an issue.

“We opened 10 affordable houses in Coniston in 2018 and there’s 13 going to be started this year – seven for rent and six for self-build. A further 12 are going through planning,” said Cllr Hall, the Conservative councillor for Broughton and Coniston.

She encouraged other parishes and communities to come forward with sites for housing because the “support” was there from SLDC..

Cllr Mark Wilson, the Labour councillor for Ulverston East, said: “I am very encouraged by our housing figures. They are increasing in the aspirational manner that this district has approached this issue. It has also encouraged other housing groups to work with more vigour.”