A GENERATION of York residents could be left behind because of rising house prices and a lack of newly built affordable housing, it has been claimed.

According to a report by the National Housing Federation (NHF), house prices are set to soar by 42 per cent by 2020, leaving millions of people born in the 1990s struggling to get on to the property ladder.

The average house price in York already costs more than eight times the average annual income for a young person. The report predicts this figure will continue to increase, making it even harder for young people to start renting a property or become first-time buyers.

John Wroot, manager of the York branch of Reeds Rains estate agents, said: “Young adults have to struggle to get a deposit together, especially now a lot of the lower rents have gone up. The ones that were £500 are now £550 and house prices in York are slowly going up.”

Last week, Savills estate agents predicted that by 2017, house prices will have risen by 18 per cent, an increase on their 11.5 per cent prediction nine months ago.

Despite the NHF reporting that wages will increase by 36 per cent by 2020, the average house price will also increase by 46 per cent to £245,165.

Experts have predicted that this will create a boomerang generation with an estimated 3.7 million young people living back at their parents’ house by 2020.

Rob Warm, of Yorkshire and the Humber NHF, said: “We need to build more homes now. The future of the country – and our young people – depends on it.

“The decisions about housing are being made locally, by local councillors. But they won’t act unless people reach out and tell them they want more homes in their community.”

The NHF claims the country’s failure to keep up with the demand for housing is putting strain on the housing market.

City of York Council has announced plans to build 22,000 new homes in York by 2030, though the plans have been controversial.

Julian Sturdy, Conservative MP for York Outer, and Nick Emmerson, Liberal Democrat prospective candidate for the constituency at the next election, are both campaigning against the proposals.

The national PricedOut campaign, calling for more affordable housing, yesterday accused them of “betrayal” of young people in York.