HAMPSHIRE'S most exclusive council houses have been opened in the New Forest.

The attractive cottage-style homes have been built in the centre of Beaulieu - arguably the most picturesque village in the district where such homes sell on the open market for more than £200,000 apiece.

Tenants enjoy panoramic views of the Beaulieu River and Palace House, ancestral home of Lord Montagu.

The social housing scheme has been built by the New Forest Villages Housing Association (NFVHA) in conjunction with the district council.

Both organisations are helping to tackle one of the biggest housing issues in the Forest.

Young people who decide to leave home and buy their own place are being forced out of the area by sky-high property prices.

Now low-cost homes for rent are being built in Forest villages to keep communities intact.

Founded in 1983, the NFVHA provided a total of 27 houses in Brockenhurst, Minstead and Damerham before turning its attention to Beaulieu. Ten affordable homes were built in the village in 1993.

The five new properties opposite Palace House were officially opened by Pat Wyeth, chairman of the district council, who praised the £400,000 development. She said: "We need schemes like this if we're going to keep our villages alive."

Similar views were expressed by Lord Montagu's son, the Honourable Ralph Montagu, who was heavily involved in the project and donated the land. He said: "We very much welcome the fact that five more homes are guaranteed in Beaulieu for local people.

"It will help to keep our community alive because it means more business for the local shops and more children for the village school."

Tenants include Sharon Thomas and her two children, Anna-Marie, 12, and Elizabeth-Anne, ten.

Mrs Thomas said: "I'm an artist and one of the best things about living here is the inspirational view across the Beaulieu River."

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