KENT County Council is asking for views on what people in the county see as the main priorities, in the light of Government plans to build 116,000 new homes in the county by 2021.

A survey and full background information can be found on the website www.kent.gov.org.

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WILSON Connally has opened its new Thornton showhome at its Silverdale development in Kennington, Ashford.

The three-bedroom, three-storey townhouse is priced £179,995.

Commenting on the recent launch, sales manager Caron Hutchins, said: “The weather was kind to us and the visitor levels surpassed all expectations. We took more than 20 contact names who have shown real interest in the site and one confirmed reservation on a very attractive plot.

“Many families came to view and took on board the full potential of the flexible living accommodation available.” The sales centre can be contacted on 01233 640967.

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RESEARH from Knight Frank reveals that the number of City buyers has plummeted over the past two years and that the slack has been taken up by buyers from the professions, small businesses, arts and media.

Andrew Harwood of Knight Frank, said: “Although the drop in city buyers will come as no surprise to many analysts, aware of the lack of city bonuses and increasing redundancies, it is interesting to see just who is keeping the property market alive.”

Knight Frank’s economic profile graph, covering the past three years shows that by the end of 2000 professional buyers already accounted for a higher proportion of purchasers than clients from the city and over the past 24 months, this trend has continued.

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THERE is a growing labour and skills shortage in the rural economy, according to the latest edition of Land Business, published by Strutt & Parker.

With more and more people reluctant to tie their financial well-being to something as uncertain as the future profitability of farming, it is already almost impossible to recruit a tractor driver in some areas, while estate owners are having increasing problems hiring skilled workers and specialist managers and even in finding new tenants for newly vacated farms.

Tom Richardson, who heads Strutt & Parker’s land management division, believes the problem is a growing one.

He said: “It’s no longer simply a question of can you afford to hire a new person, but can you actually find someone who is willing, fit and properly able to do the job?”

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RESEARCH from Key Retirement Solutions reveals that 80 per cent of independent financial advisers believe annuity rates will fall over the next 12 months by an average of 2.5 per cent. One in six expects them to decline by five per cent or more and only six per cent believe they will stay the same.