RESIDENTS in an area with soaring house prices are being urged to respond to a survey about their incomes or risk missing out on affordable homes.

Ribble Valley Council has begun a series of surveys asking people about their housing situation, including a question about how much they earn.

With property prices soaring -- a terrace house now costs an average of £100,000 -- Ribble Valley has slapped a ban on luxury developments and told builders they will only get permission for 'affordable' housing.

The council believes it is close to getting several builders to develop affordable estates, but needs to know what people earn locally so it can determine what price bracket the homes should be sold in. That clause will then be written into planning permissions.

Longridge and Clitheroe residents are currently being asked to take part in surveys, with smaller communities such as Whalley set to follow suit.

Mike Kirby, forward planning manager at Ribble Valley Council, said: "These surveys are very important because they provide us with the evidence for developers about the need for affordable housing. They are anonymous but people need to give us as much information as is possible so we can work towards affordable housing which does actually meet local needs."

Earlier this year, the Lancashire Evening Telegraph revealed the average house price in the Ribble Valley was £209,407, with terrace housing, the traditional stomping ground of first-time buyers, fetching more than £100,000.

Prices had risen 31.9 per cent in three months, and 70 per cent up on last year. The average sale was higher than the South-East average for the first time.

The rising house prices have been blamed on people moving into the area and commuting to work.