MORE than 100 families are on the housing register in the Tidenham area, a public meeting was told.

A presentation on housing need was given to the annual parish meeting held at Sedbury and Beachley village hall by Mr Keith Chaplin, the Forest of Dean Council's housing strategy and enabling officer.

There are now 115 families on the register who have local links and need rented accommodation, said Mr Chaplin.

He said a housing needs survey was required for Tidenham to find out if an "exception" site was needed in the area.

An exception site is one that is not currently in the district council's core strategy but which might be suitable for small-scale developments of affordable housing.

He said: "The Forest of Dean is in the worst 10 (places) in the country for affordability."

Between 1999 and 2009 the average cost of a home in the Forest rose from £80,000 to £190,000 but average wages only rose from £15,000 a year to £19,000 in the same period.

Mr Chaplin said the parish council would be asked to conduct the housing survey.

The annual parish meeting is held by Tidenham parish council and is an opportunity for local people to question councillors.

Local people asked if the rumoured housing development near Wyedean School was likely to go ahead.

Parish clerk Mrs Jan Cordon said there were no plans with the district council for any development of the site at present.