More affordable social housing could be on the cards for south Warwickshire and the surrounding area even though the council's latest state of the district report explained that nearly a third of all new builds over the past ten years have been in this sector.

In presenting the report at this week's full Stratford District Council meeting, Cllr Tony Jefferson added that with house prices going up, it was difficult for residents to buy their own property.

He said: "House prices are high and, as we know, are unaffordable for many. The median house prices are well above the Warwickshire average. 

"Affordable housing has made up an average of 29% of all new dwellings completed since 2012. That is quite an achievement and one that I think we should be proud of."

Cllr Chris Kettle added that the council was building more affordable housing than any neighbouring district but Cllr Jo Barker said: "I, as the portfolio holder, desperately want to build more social housing because I passionately believe in proper affordable social housing and it is something we are working towards."

The report explained that the population across the district was now 134,700 – an increase of 11.8% in the last ten years prompting Cllr Jefferson to add: "If the level of growth continues then by 2031, the district could be close to 160,000 in population and anything close to that will bring a significant number of challenges and I wouldn't like people to underestimate what those challenges will be.

"We need to be realistic and remember that we are a successful district. However, we will strive to be better and we are ambitious, wanting to do the best for our residents."

Responding to the report, opposition leader Cllr Susan Juned said: "What I would like to see is many of the key lessons in this report being taken seriously and taken on board both through the local plan and through the local economic strategy.

"I want to make sure that going forward, this district council works on its economic strategy, works on its housing, works on its economic and local plan and makes sure that in the next ten years we are delivering for our residents because we have certainly not delivered for them over the last ten years."