ONE in five people in Bolton will live in rented accommodation by the early 2020s, according to new figures.

Research from the House of Commons Library predicts that the number of tenants in Bolton will reach 23,000 by 2021 – a 140 per cent increase on 2001 figures.

Bolton North East MP David Crausby said it was "unacceptable" that young people were being denied the opportunity to own their own home.

He said: “Home ownership is a British tradition and one that I completely support.

“It is unacceptable that the next generation are being denied the opportunity to own their own home and have the security that this provides.

“If in government Labour will increase new house building up to 200,000 homes per year, expanding the chance to own homes to the next generation.”

The predictions for Bolton mirror expected changes in Manchester and Bury, which will both see a similar increase in the numbers renting over the next six years.

But they far exceed other rises locally, with Rochdale, Oldham and Wigan predicted to have increases 10 per cent lower than Bolton’s.

Campaigners for tenants' said the figures reveal a generation priced off the housing ladder.

Dan Wilson Craw, a spokesman for campaign group Generation Rent, said: “Increasing numbers of people are getting stuck renting because house prices are too high and they keep going up. In Bolton, house prices are rising faster than wages, so it keeps getting harder to save a deposit.

"The majority of renters would much rather own their home, because that offers a more secure and affordable long term option."

Mr Crausby said the party would act to help tenants: “The private rented sector is clearly growing, but for too long landlords have been free to treat renters poorly.

“Labour would introduce three-year tenancies so people don’t have to worry about being made to move at short notice, put a ceiling on rent increases during the length of these tenancies and introduce a national register of landlords so local councils can take action against bad landlords.”

Sharon Betton, business development officer at the North West Landlords Association, said: “Families are now being established earlier. Young families and single mums need accommodation, often quite urgently and are unable to wait for a property to become available through social landlords.

“Also the economic climate is such that people may have to travel into the area for work. This could be a temporary move, but accommodation would be needed quickly.

“I don’t think more renters is a bad thing or a good thing, it just is.”