A survey is being conducted in a rural community to find out if old and young people are being forced away from their roots by high property prices.

Residents of High and Low Catton, near Stamford Bridge, are being asked to take part in the project designed to help bring affordable housing to rural areas for the benefit of local people.

Catton Parish Council has distributed surveys throughout the parish with the help of the Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council. The initiative is an attempt to help people young and old to stay in their own village rather than be driven away by escalating house prices.

The results of the questionnaire should be ready in about a month.

Katherine Pea, rural housing enabler, said: "I cover the whole of the East Riding of Yorkshire area and I am doing local based surveys to see what the picture is on this situation in each specific village.

"It's a national project and the Countryside Agency is the main funder.

"We are doing the ground work to see if there's a need to provide new housing association properties.

"House prices have gone up nationally and it's not just in urban areas. "There is more choice of stock in urban areas whereas there is less stock to choose from in rural areas and therefore less choice.

"There are usually young people trying to purchase their first home and trying to get their first step on the ladder and, at the other end of the scale, there are people looking for an appropriate property to scale down into. If there's no choice they have to move to Driffield or Hornsea or York to find appropriate stock.

"Similar schemes were tested throughout the 1990s in other districts and were found to be a help in rural areas where house prices have been steadily increasing and where there are few properties to rent."

The rural housing project is aimed at increasing affordable housing supplies in rural communities throughout the East Riding.

Steve Lane, chairman of Catton Parish Council, said: "I wouldn't say there was a house on the market in Low Catton for less than £120,000. People have moved here from York because it's so handy for the A1079.

"It's a problem for people who are born and bred in the villages because they can't stay here when they want to buy.

"There are three bungalows in Low Catton for older people, but the problem is that there are only four buses a week, so when you can't drive any more you're pretty cut off."

Anyone who wants to know more about the survey can call Katherine on 01759 301627.

Updated: 11:12 Tuesday, January 23, 2001