A NORTH Yorkshire mum-of-two who lives in a tiny flat above a fish and chip shop has made a plea for more affordable housing in her area.
Kerry Searson shares a room with her eight-week-old daughter, Jamie, and two-year-old son, Jordan, in her mum's two-bedroom flat in Ampleforth.
The flat is cramped, and Kerry can only use the kitchen and bathroom when the shop downstairs is closed.
Although the 19-year-old is on Ryedale Housing Association's waiting list, she is worried how long she must stay at her mum's.
"Jordan is in the terrible twos, and he always wants to help mum in the chippy, but he can't," she said. He stands at the top of the stairs and screams for her.
"I can't use the kitchen while the chip shop is open because they are using it, and so I have to go in and make up the baby's bottles before it opens."
Kerry, who grew up in the village, said she desperately needed her own space.
"We are pretty much living out of suitcases," she said. For every house that comes up there are 19 or 20 people going for it.
"They keep selling off their houses but not building anymore, that's what's bothering me.
"They are splitting families up.
"I'm worried because usually houses come up in the village every nine years or so, but there have been two just recently and there might not be any more for a long time.
"I don't know what I will do."
Joan Gibbs, central area manager at Ryedale Housing Association, said: "Ryedale District Council have done a housing needs survey, and we are guided by where we have big waiting lists. If we have enough money for new housing then that is where we will build.
"Up to now most of the villages did not have a big waiting list, but as the kids are growing up we are now realising that if we want to keep them here we need jobs and low-cost housing."
Kim Robertshaw, senior housing services officer at the district council, said: "We have a policy of buy-backs of properties which were housing association, but with the housing market being so buoyant that is not easy. Land is so scarce in Ryedale in the villages, and even if we do get it we may not get the permission to build."
Updated: 12:23 Thursday, January 02, 2003
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