THE average property in the New Forest being more than £500,000 is "pretty shocking".

Councillor David Harrison said the statistics were a sad reflection on the country as a whole.

Data from Nationwide and the Office for National Statistics revealed the average property price in the New Forest is £576,000 as of September - compared with Southampton's £242,000.

New Forest District Councillor for Totton South, Cllr David Harrison, said: “[It is] a pretty shocking statistic that the average price of a home in the New Forest is now well over half a million.

“The main cause is supply and demand - people will pay a lot of money to purchase a home or a second home in such a highly desirable location.

“Demand is high and yet supply is low because National Parks are protected by major house building projects.

“It is what happens in any market under a capitalist system where demand exceeds supply... price rockets upwards.”

The councillor went on to say he does not see any way which young people and newer generations are not going to be able to move to the New Forest.

He added: “The fact is that there are winners and losers. If you are lucky enough to have a home in the National Park, you will have seen your main property asset value increased markedly.

“Of course, that is of limited value if you have no intention of ever moving home.

“Over the years houses have been snapped up by wealthy people as investments rather than homes.

“Empty properties or those that are used as holiday homes don’t contribute to communities in the same way as residents do.”

The data found that the New Forest is the most expensive National Park in which to purchase a property in England.

It is significantly higher than the average price in the South Downs, which stands at £400,000.

In comparison, the Peak District has an average house price of £375,000, while the Yorkshire Dales is at £353,000. Homes in the Lake District average £333,000, and Dartmoor averages £310,000.