A TENANTS' union in the city has launched a new campaign calling for a ban on second homes in new developments.

The Brighton branch of Acorn, which campaigns on housing issues in the city, has called for intervention in the housing market, which it claims sees families and working class people priced out of the city due to rising rents and house prices.

It highlights the practice of developers building expensive properties for sale as second homes and investment opportunities, rather than affordable housing for people who live in the city, and are calling fore residents to join them in demanding changes to local planning legislation.

The union is advocating for the introduction of a "principal residence policy" for new housing developments in Brighton, that they claim could help ensure housing is made more affordable and available.

A spokeswoman for the union said: "The fact that one in 37 homes in Brighton stand empty while people sleep on the streets and long-term residents and workers in Brighton are pushed out of the city by rising house prices is a disgrace.

"Ensuring that all new houses built in the city are used as primary residences will be a major step in tackling the housing crisis in the city."

A study earlier this year found that renting in Brighton costs a larger proportion of a worker's salary than in London.

Figures compiled by InventoryBase found that the city has the fourth highest rent to income difference, with payments taking up almost 47 per cent of income - compared with a national average of just under 31 per cent.

Brighton placed behind only Winchester, Bath and Oxford, with an average rent per year of £13,140. Average yearly income in the city, by comparison, is £28,000.

Have you got a story for us? Email news@theargus.co.uk or contact us here.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.

You can also call us on 01273 021 400.