It's a commuter town

Meanwhile, first-time buyers who try to purchase homes in the town are being denied by investors who snap up cheaper properties over their heads.

The worrying trends are highlighted in an extensive survey carried out in the town.

Another fact to come to light from the survey is that the majority of schoolgirls questioned felt unsafe in parts of Uckfield because of badly lit areas, particularly around Tesco.

The 'Town Healthcheck' has been undertaken by the Uckfield Town Regeneration Partnership. It needs to collate as much information as possible on life in Uckfield in order to qualify for grant money for town improvement.

The report, which was compiled by town co-ordinator Barry Knights, says: 'Discussions with a local firm of estate agents reveals that houses below 200,000 are selling very quickly and that flats are rarely available. It seems that demand is outstripping availability.

'This certainly points to a fairly healthy situation for the town but also highlights a shortage of properties at the lower end of the market. It is also significant to note that many purchasers of properties at the lower end of the market are buying for investment over the heads of the first time buyers.

'Also, some 50 per cent of purchasers do not work locally but in more expensive areas such as Surrey and West Kent.

'It is a worrying feature that investors are moving their money out of stocks and shares and buying property at the cheaper end of the market over the heads of first time buyers. Of further concern is the trend for people who work in Surrey and West Kent buying houses in the town and commuting.'

Of the 98 college girls surveyed, 58 said there were areas of Uckfield in which they felt unsafe. Thirty-four of those gave badly lit areas as the reason for their concern, while 13 stated 'ominous groups'. Only four said violence was the reason for their anxiety, while three said 'drunks' and only two said 'yobs'.

The single most quoted badly-lit area was Tesco, with 15 mentions, followed by Lime Tree Avenue and Pudding Lane, on six.