Since Yarmouth’s council houses were sold in the 1980s, young couples have had very little opportunity of buying affordable houses in Yarmouth.

80 per cent of properties which come on to the market are sold to mainland buyers.

As a result, we have a large percentage of holiday homes and elderly residents - and the school has closed!

There now exists an opportunity to restore a balanced community in Yarmouth by building affordable housing for young couples.

Where? On the town trust owned recreation ground - a grossly under-used asset currently leased to the town council and having “village green” status.

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If this status could be rescinded and the lease cancelled, the site could be sold for development as affordable housing and the proceeds used to purchase the Yarmouth school site - for use as a recreation ground!

Most of the existing buildings could be demolished and changing rooms / showers retained.

According to the chairman of the town trust, the existing recreation ground’s village green status (awarded against the trust’s wishes) and the 21 year lease to the town council, make the proposal to sell the site for development as affordable housing, very difficult, if not impossible to achieve.

Surely the goal of providing affordable housing, and retaining the school site as a recreation ground for the community is well worth a determined effort by county and town councillors and town trust officials to find a solution.

If they do not, I predict the community will fail to raise the money to purchase the school site, it will be sold for development as luxury dwellings and the town will forever lose the opportunity for the provision of affordable housing.