A housing charity has welcomed the announcement that the Prime Minister in waiting wants to build new environmentally friendly homes.

Yesterday Chancellor Gordon Brown unveiled his idea to build five new "eco towns" with up to 100,000 low carbon or carbon neutral homes designed to be affordable to first time buyers.

Andy Winter, chief executive of Brighton housing and homelessness charity BHT said the idea was a good one, but warned there are people "living in the shadows" across Sussex who would still not be able to afford one of the new homes.

He said: "Gordon Brown recognises the economic need for tens of thousands of new homes in the South East. I welcome that.

"However, his announcement appears to exclude those not in priority need and who cannot afford to become first time buyers.

"These are people living in the shadows when it comes to housing need. In coastal towns like Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings, there are a large number of people on low incomes who provide essential services that sustain the local economy."

It comes after The Argus revealed that house prices in Brighton and Hove are rising faster than anywhere else in the country.