The council needs to insist on higher levels of 'affordable' houses (20%+) and with more homes being single occupant (30%), housing density needs to increase to accomodate more people on less land thereby reduce travel time to local resources (shopping, medical attention etc).

The market ensures that housebuilders are rewarded for building expensive houses that median earning homeowners (even in required occupations) cannot afford and are suitable for the better off who wish to move to the area. Whilst population diminishes locally and house supply increases, the housing demand has continued to increase in recent years.