by Angela Cole

acole@thekmgroup.co.uk

Forget commuting into London – a new survey has revealed that hundreds of people commute into the small town of Paddock Wood every day.

The report published by Paddock Wood Succeed found that more than 4,000 people carried out skilled and semi-skilled work in the town each day, many commuting in to do so. The population is just 7,500, according to the town council's website.

The group says its evidence proves more affordable housing must be built.

The report Work and Commuting in the Paddock Wood area was prepared in response to questions raised by town councillors who wanted to know whether increased affordable housing would be consistent with the type of jobs in Paddock Wood.

They raised the questions after a previous report found there was a significant shortage of affordable housing – currently just 12.8 per cent of total housing in the town was affordable.

Succeed treasurer Chris Gregory, who wrote the two reports, said: "The housing report confirmed what the people of Paddock Wood have always known, that when their children are grown up and ready to get a foot on the housing ladder there are very few affordable properties locally for them to get started.

"This really matters because those who live in the current 400+ dwellings in council tax bands A and B out of approximately 3,300 homes in Paddock Wood, are less likely to find affordable choices for goods and services. It is important for any community like Paddock Wood to have a proper mix of housing types."

He added: "Building many more affordable homes will test how much future developers care about Paddock Wood as a balanced community compared with simply putting up more of the most profitable houses."

The reports, prepared in line with Vision 4 of Succeed’s action plan for the area, can be viewed at www.paddockwood.org