Of the UK’s major towns and cities, Watford had one of the biggest rises in average house prices last year– and while this may make Watford seem a desirable and affluent area, what does it mean for already struggling first-time buyers?

House prices in Watford rose by 15.3 per cent in 2016, which was more than double the national average of 7.5 per cent. For young people wanting to stay close to friends and families, price hikes like this, make that an impossibility.

For many young people, buying a house is preposterous. Most have already succumbed to the idea of a lifetime spent throwing cash at greedy landlords; house shares with no lounges, bedrooms without windows and kitchens infested with mice are the norm: this is generation rent.

So bearing all this in mind, shouldn’t we be celebrating proposals like 400 new flats in Tolpits Lane? Admittedly, nowhere near enough will be affordable housing, but more flats and more competition could make developers rethink their prices.

The scheme proved to be divisive with readers. Watfordrick welcomed the news and wished they would double the size of the development, whereas Woodside Hermit feared for hospitals and schools in the area, believing the infrastructure cannot keep up with the expansions.

Pushy developers with little regard for a town’s history or culture are always going to upset people, but if Watford is to continues to grow, and be an affordable place to live, maybe there’s little other choice.