'Homes for locals' plan discussed

New homes built in a wealthy London borough could be sold exclusively to locals, under new proposals.

The huge demand for properties in Kensington and Chelsea, fuelled by international buyers, means local buyers are priced out of the market.

How to deal with a shortage of land for new homes and high demand are being laid out in an options paper on Monday.

Allocating new homes to those with a strong local link, an idea used in the Yorkshire Dales, is among options.

'Demand for housing'

A restrictive occupancy policy has already been agreed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

Virtually all new homes can only be built in the Dales if they meet local housing needs and are sold at below-market prices to local people.

Councillor Daniel Moylan said: "Kensington and Chelsea is almost full and the demand for housing is set to continue to grow in the future.

"The challenge for the council is to ensure that future growth is managed."

The "Issues and Options" paper is part of the council's Local Development Framework, which will form the basis on which planning decisions are made in the borough.