A SURVEY is being carried out to investigate ways in which people with local connections can remain in the area.

Chinnor Parish Council is undertaking the survey after it became concerned about the lack of affordable housing in the area.

The parish council opposed a plan for 20 affordable homes on the corner of Mill Lane and Thame Road because it felt it did not meet relevant criteria like investigating whether there was a need for such housing.

But this survey will enable the district council to assess the number of local people in need of housing, as well as the type of housing and the tenure people can afford as regards rent, shared ownership or low-cost home ownership.

The whole of the South East suffers from the high cost of housing with many residents, who have grown up in an area, being forced to move out.

But information collected in the survey will identify households which comply with a local connection criteria.

Local connection is defined as five years continuous residence in the parish within the last eight years, a close relationship to a resident or full-time employment in the parish for two years prior to occupation.

Jeffrey Emmett is the planning consultant to the application for 20 affordable homes by the Oxford Radcliffe Charitable Fund and CORDA, the heart charity.

He urged residents to complete the survey to ensure people can afford to live in Chinnor and said it was important that affordable houses were filled by local residents.

For further information about it or about the survey, contact Pamela Dawson on 01494 535823 or Mr Emmett on 01844 353452.