WESTMORLAND and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron has presented a radical solution to the chronic lack of affordable housing in the South Lakes to the Government's housing minister.

Spurred on by the growing number of young people forced to leave his constituency due to high property prices and a lack of social rented houses, Mr Farron decided to take action and devised a scheme to help first-time buyers get on to the property ladder, reports Lizzie Anderson.

In a letter to the Housing Minister, Caroline Flint MP, Mr Farron suggests tripling the council tax on second homes and using the additional money to provide substantial grants to local people.

He says that, if these reforms were introduced in the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, as many as 700 families a year could benefit by up to £30,000.

"There is an extreme situation in this part of the world," said Mr Farron. "The average income is below £20,000 and average house prices are about one quarter of a million. People on a perfectly reasonable income have no chance.

"It is also an attractive area and there are people with surplus cash in London and Manchester who can come here and easily buy a second home and then not live in it for most of the year," he continued.

The letter has also been sent to Mr Farron's Liberal Democrat colleague Matthew Taylor, who is conducting an official review of the rural economy and affordable housing at the behest of the Prime Minister.

Mr Farron, who has also spearheaded a campaign to change planning laws to make it easier for farmers to convert disused farm buildings into affordable housing, stressed that the proposal was not a criticism of the Government and said: "I am hoping it will be taken seriously and I am generally interested in seeing if the Government will follow it up."

Mrs Flint is yet to respond to Mr Farron's letter but a spokesperson from Communities and Local Government said: "We have made clear we are committed to building more affordable homes in both rural and urban areas and have increased funding for both areas. This problem reflects the core issue of worsening affordability across the country, which is caused by a lack of supply.

"That is why the Government has set a target to deliver three million in total by 2020, including at least 70,000 affordable homes a year by 2011," he added.