More homes needed in commuter towns

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A lack of affordable housing in London means that many people are opting to live in commuter towns, pushing up demand for property in these areas.

According to the National Housing Federation (NHF), homes of "all sizes" are sought after within the commuter belt, which could be of interest to landlords looking to expand their portfolios.

A spokesperson said that "the capital simply isn't able to provide affordable housing or suitable homes" and added that more properties need to be built in and around London to accommodate people looking for somewhere to live.

He said: "There are attractions to commuter towns - these areas are greener, more spacious. But for a lot of people it isn't actually a choice [to move there]; a lot of people would prefer to remain in the city, but actually find themselves forced to a commuter town because it's simply not affordable to live in London anymore.

"Rather than commuting a long distance, a lot of people would prefer to live near their jobs; but they can't do so.

"While we definitely need more homes in and around these commuter towns, we also need to build many more homes of all types - not just one and two bed flats, but all sizes of home - actually within London itself."

On Wednesday (November 7th) the Queen's speech outlined government plans for a new Homes and Communities Agency and new regulations as part of the prime minister's pledge to build 240,000 new homes every year from 2016 onwards.

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