'EMPTY nest syndrome is becoming a thing of the past,' says

Sarah Carr, South West manager for the National Housing Federation.

'Rather than waving their children off as they grow up and move out, parents are stuck with kids in their 30s still living at home.'

New research has revealed that the lack of affordable housing in the South West is increasing the financial and emotional burden on parents, as their grown-up children can no longer afford to move out. Local authorities are now being urged to prioritise affordable housing, in a bid to make it easier for first time buyers.

Ms Carr adds: 'Moving out and setting up a family home of your own is a normal rite of passage. Yet as rents, mortgages and deposits continue to soar out of reach, it is no longer an option for many. We're delaying adulthood for grown-ups kids who are left stuck in their childhood bedrooms.'

A ComRes poll of parents with adult children aged 21 to 40 years old, conducted on behalf of the National Housing Federation, found that across the South West nine out of 10 parents with grown-up children believe there is not enough housing in Britain that people can afford. While almost a quarter of parents of adult children in the South West have at least one adult child living at home.

Unless more homes are built, the situation soon could become even bleaker for parents with children in their 20s and 30s. Across the South West first-time buyer house prices are set to increase by 48 per cent by 2020, and rents in 2020 will be 47 per cent higher than they are today.

With the average house price in Devon currently at £225,000, it means parents could be forced to look after their grown-up children for even longer, as they struggle to save up enough money to get a place of their own.

'As a country we need to build more homes at the right prices in the right areas now to ensure there is another option,' says Ms Carr.

'We must encourage more development of new homes and the decisions about where more homes are built are being made locally, by local councillors.'

South Hams District Council is one of the local authorities that has placed affordable housing as one of its top priorities for the area.

A spokesperson from SHDC said: 'This issue is high on our agenda and as a council we have pioneered a number of initiatives to increase the availability, quality and affordability of housing for young people and first time buyers in the region.

'This has included reducing benefits to second home owners, restricting residency in most ex-local authority properties to local residents and investing significant resources to tackle the issue and increase housing stocks. Local residents of all ages now have priority in all housing allocations and grants are available to return empty homes to full occupancy.

'New houses are also being built in areas of high demand and these will be made available to high priority local residents.

For more information about the campaign visit http://www.yestohomes.co.uk">www.yestohomes.co.uk.