The average house prices in the area are quite often 10 times the average earnings. How are young people expected to stay in their communities under such conditions? There are other major problems in rural communities relating to the provision of affordable housing.

These include the lack of available land, the small scale of development leading to higher costs and the lack of understanding of the needs and ambitions of local people.

To combat some of these problems Plaid's Jocelyn Davies, the Deputy Housing Minister, recently announced proposals which would make it easier for local people to build new homes.

These proposals include allowing new-build housing for people working in rural businesses, farmers who are retiring and family members working on the farm. Also, all new housing developments will have to contribute towards the provision of affordable homes and enabling local planning authorities to develop policies for low impact development schemes, where people live and work on the land and are self-sustaining in food, energy and waste.

These changes will be a great relief to many people if they are accepted. As well as this, Jocelyn Davies also announced at the Royal Welsh last week that funding will be made available to appoint Rural Housing enablers in Powys.

This is part of a £400,000 investment to provide six new "enablers" in different parts of the country in order to develop affordable housing in rural Wales.

An independent Rural Housing Enabler will work with communities and provide independent advice and support, acting as a facilitator and helping villages in the complicated process of providing affordable housing.

Last week I visited the Cwm Harry Land Trust in Newtown to see the excellent work carried out with their veggie box and recycling schemes. They collect food waste from Newtown and Welshpool and mix it with green waste from the county council in their in-vessel composting unit.

It's a fantastic model that should be encouraged and developed, and I look forward to seeing the scheme expanded over the next few years.

They also run a vegetable box scheme, with local farmers producing fruit and veg for local consumption.

The high quality produce is from a network of small scale family farms in the area and is delivered free to your door.

Ultimately they wish to close the local loop by returning the compost to their participating farmers so they can add bulk and fertility to their growing land using what is thrown away in the County.

Call the Cwm Harry Land Trust on 01686 626234 or email info@cwmharrylandtrust.org.uk