THE need for council housing in High Wycombe has shot up by more than 100 per cent according to a homeless charity.

Figures released by Shelter show there were 2,342 people on waiting lists last year compared to 1,007 in 1997 - a rise of 132.6 per cent.

The numbers also reveal this increase is above the average for the south east, which has risen by 90.8 per cent over the same period.

Shelter says the figures relate to the number of households on waiting lists, which is made up of singles, couples and families.

The charity's chief executive, Adam Sampson, said there is a "chronic shortage"of social homes in the region and more needed to be built now to deal with it."

He said: "More and more ordinary families are suffering in cramped conditions or trapped in temporary accommodation whilst they wait years, sometimes as long as 20 years, for a decent home to bring up their children."

Compared to the rest of the county, Wycombe had the second longest waiting list topped only by Aylesbury Vale, which had a 218.9 per cent increase of people waiting for council homes.

Matthew Neill, support worker at the Old Tea Warehouse in Amersham Mews, Amersham Hill, thought the figures could have gone up because more people were becoming aware they could get a council house.

He said: "I think a lot of it is to do with population increase and probably better sign-posting. People know where to go. As soon as people know where to go and what they can get they start to come out the woodwork."

Mr Neill, who has worked at the homeless shelter for 18-65 year-olds for two years, did not think his waiting lists had increased, but agreed more housing was needed, especially for people aged 30 and over.

"You look at the area here, Wycombe especially, do a little internet search, try and find a vulnerable housing unit that houses 18 to 65 year-olds in a 25 mile area, and I doubt you'll find anywhere," he added.

Hugh McCarthy, cabinet member for planning and sustainability at Wycombe District Council, (WDC) said the council had "drastically raised" its targets so 40 per cent of any major planning application must be affordable housing.

"It's almost unacceptable because they're not viable. A builder doesn't make any money from affordable housing." he said.

Catherine Spalton, WDC spokesman, said since 1997 all councils had to open up their waiting lists to people outside the district, whereas before it was discretionary.

"We currently have more than 200 households on our housing waiting list who live out of the district. The increased housing waiting list is also likely to have resulted from a net decline in the availability of affordable housing, combined with a significant increase in the cost of private housing," she added.

Last year WDC added 270 council properties to the 6,000 it already has available, and 33 per cent of all dwellings built this year were affordable homes. More than 550 new council homes are either under construction or have had their plans approved.

The Government has told WDC it has to build 330 new homes every year for the next 20 years, but Cllr McCarthy has warned this could go up.