South Hams District Council has sent out an appeal for land to build houses on.

The council declared a housing ‘crisis’ in its South Devon towns four years ago, and the appeal for land is the latest measure to tackle it.

The council has sent out an email trying to identify potential land for future housing and economic development.

It says finding new sites is crucial as it prepares to draw up a new local plan document, and is looking for housing land, sites for commercial developments and sites for gypsies and travellers.

The deadline for offers is December 5, and land will have to be at least a quarter of a hectare (half an acre) in size, and capable of supporting at least five homes or 100 square metres of floorspace for employment.

The request has gone out to people who have previously submitted land for consideration.

South Hams declared a ‘housing crisis’ back in September 2021 due to high house prices and rents, a lack of affordable housing and the increasing number of second homes and holiday lets in the area.

It has brought in a second homes council tax premium in an effort to address the crisis.

Earlier this year it sold a piece of land alongside the sought-after Kingsbridge estuary for just £1 in a bid to help local families find homes.

A housing association snapped up the site at the knock-down price to kick-start a project to build 10 homes for local people.

Cllr Denise O’Callaghan (Lib Dem, Kingsbridge) told a council meeting: “This is a really positive thing to do.

“We talk about affordable housing, and all too often it isn’t affordable, especially in an area of high house prices, which Kingsbridge certainly is. The housing need is pressing and acute.”