House building in Shropshire has plummeted by 64 per cent over the past six years, a new report has revealed.

Figures show that 990 houses were built in the county in 2005/6, but that fell to just 360 in 2010/11 and the county is missing out on an estimated 1,200 jobs. Meanwhile, official government projections say the number of households in the county is expected to grow by 1,160 each year.

The Home Builders’ Federation, issued the report, entitled Housing Crisis in the West Midlands.

And in a double blow, average house prices in Shropshire have more than doubled in the last 10 years, from £76,000 in 2000 to £172,500 in 2010 – almost 7.5 times the average income.

And the average first-time buyer in the county is spending £130,000 on their home – meaning they need a deposit of about £26,000.

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