Plans to deliver hundreds of new affordable homes for local families across North Yorkshire are gathering pace as efforts intensify to meet growing demand.
To help ensure more residents can afford to live in their local communities, North Yorkshire Council has committed to delivering 500 new council homes by 2029 through its Housing Revenue Account.
Currently, more than 7,000 households are registered with North Yorkshire Home Choice, the choice-based lettings scheme used to allocate social and affordable housing across the county.
Buying completed properties directly from developers forms a central part of the council’s strategy, allowing affordable housing to be brought to the market much faster in high-demand areas.
The latest proposal under consideration would see the council acquire 10 new-build homes in Knaresborough, where over 500 households have listed the town and surrounding villages as their preferred location.
Of the 10 properties, seven would be available for social rent to families in need, including five four-bedroom and two three-bedroom houses. The remaining three properties would be offered through shared ownership to help buyers take their first step onto the property ladder.
The proposals will go before the council’s executive committee on Tuesday, 4th August.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “As one of the largest councils in England, one of the biggest challenges we face is a lack of affordable housing.
“Increasing the supply of affordable housing is one of our key priorities as we work to ensure more local people and families can access homes where they want to live.
“We have committed to delivering 500 new council homes by 2029 to help meet this demand, and acquisitions such as these help increase the supply of high-quality affordable housing while also supporting the creation of healthy and sustainable communities.”
Funding for the potential Knaresborough acquisition would come from a mix of the council’s Housing Revenue Account, Homes England grant funding, and receipts generated through shared ownership sales.
The move follows similar schemes approved in December, which saw plans greenlit to purchase 10 properties across Bedale and Ripon.
To further accelerate home building, the council also voted earlier this month to enter into a joint venture with national housing developer Lovell Partnerships Ltd. Working as equal partners, the joint venture aims to unlock council-owned land to deliver environmentally sustainable housing, infrastructure, and green spaces, supporting wider government targets to deliver over 4,000 new homes annually across the region.
