Her plea followed comments regarding a payment of £6,000 which Angus Council has agreed to make towards design costs of an affordable housing development on the former site of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association in Dundee Road.

Fifteen affordable homes will be built by Abertay Housing Association as the first phase of the development on the prominent site.

The community council was approached by a member of the public who questioned the local authority's payment, as well as how many of the 15 houses planned initially would be rented.

Chairman Mrs Isobel Ross said: "The member of the public has also asked how many houses in Forfar are zoned for the homeless, and what percentage of affordable housing is in any development."

Mrs Middleton, who has spoken out in the past about the lack of affordable housing for Forfar residents who are neither homeless or disabled, explained Angus Council had the nomination rights for the first 15 houses at the Guide Dogs' site.

She said: "They will go to people who are sorely in need of houses.

"I have already put my tuppence worth in and have been on my soap box because there are many, many couples with families who are desperate to be accommodated appropriately in Forfar.

"Because of the current rules they don't even get a sniff at a house.

"The convener of neighbourhood services agreed to write to the Scottish Housing minister so that we could have a discussion.

"I will not get off that soap box. If we don't accommodate local people appropriately they will leave. They will get a job elsewhere and will leave. We will have a town with old people; Angus will become a county of old people. We must keep our young families here."

Mrs Middleton stressed she recognised there were people with problems - mental health problems, drugs and/or alcohol problems.

"I recognise that absolutely. But I do not think they should be given 100% priority. We have to have some sort of balance."

Councillor Middleton stated she had a list of people who are desperate for accommodation.

"They are currently overcrowded. Young people who don't stand a chance of getting a house at all.

"We need a balance, it can't always be one way."

Community Council chairman Mrs Isobel Ross said that, if the council doesn't get people off the housing list, then it will only get "longer and longer."

She quoted instances of people looking for a private rent as they had been told they would not get a house for "two to three years."

Referring to the £6,000 payment by Angus Council to Abertay, Councillor Middleton stated she thought it was a "relatively small amount of money" which was to bring houses to Forfar.

She continued: "We do work with housing associations, and always have done. That is the shape of things to come - councils working more closely with housing associations.

"I'm sorry if people don't like it; I thought it was a good thing.

"There have been other instances where the council has been able to assist an Association to bring a development on-line easier and quicker than the council could.

"I think the site (Guide Dogs) is a beautiful site and look forward to seeing nice family properties on it."

Mrs Middleton also questioned what is deemed "affordable housing", referring to a survey carried out in Angus which revealed 54% of those who took part could not afford to buy a house.

Figures suggested "affordable housing" would cost £90,000 with average wages being £20,000.

She added: "In my mind there is no such thing as affordable housing."