Plans to dramatically speed up the delivery of affordable homes to meet growing demand across North Yorkshire are set to be officially considered by councillors next week.
North Yorkshire Council is proposing to enter into a major joint venture with Lovell Partnerships Ltd, a nationally renowned housing developer, to build more homes across the county. The planned scheme is designed to accelerate the delivery of high-quality, environmentally sustainable homes, with a specific, heavy focus on affordable housing in hard-hit coastal areas.
Under the new proposal, the council and Lovell would work as equal partners, sharing both the risks and the rewards. Crucially, the move unlocks the potential to deliver new homes, infrastructure, and community green spaces at a much faster pace.
The Government has set the council an ambitious target of delivering more than 4,000 new homes a year, and this joint venture is seen as a key driver to support that goal. The affordable homes delivered through the partnership would be taken on directly by the authority in its role as a social landlord, helping meet its wider target to increase its total housing stock by at least 500 new homes.
As an immediate part of the planned partnership, two sites in Scarborough and Whitby that were already allocated for development could deliver more than 600 new properties, including 226 strictly affordable homes. The proposals will be formally considered by members of the council’s executive committee when they meet on Tuesday, 14th July.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “This proposed partnership gives us a real opportunity to have greater control and help us better shape how new homes are delivered across the county. By working with a trusted partner and using land we already own, we can accelerate the delivery of high-quality housing, including much-needed affordable homes, so that more families have the opportunity to live in the communities they want to.
“Rather than simply selling land to private developers, this approach would also allow us to retain influence over what is built and when – helping us to deliver new homes and the supporting infrastructure they need, while promoting sustainable communities.”
Coastal communities in North Yorkshire are currently facing a severe lack of affordable housing, as high levels of second-home ownership and holiday lets continue to push up local rents and market house prices.
The first sites earmarked for development under the proposed scheme are located at Sandsend Road in Whitby, where 60 homes would be built, and Eastfield in Scarborough, where approximately 550 homes could be developed. Both sites will include a substantial allocation of affordable housing. Under the refined business model, North Yorkshire Council would provide the land for development, while Lovell would match its exact value through funding, with all profits eventually split equally.
Mary Parsons, the regeneration and partnerships director for Lovell, added: “Lovell has always been a partnerships developer, working with our public sector partners to deliver the homes that their area needs. This proposed joint venture is a great example of this and would enable new homes to be delivered in the county at pace.”
To properly oversee the partnership, a joint venture board has been proposed, comprising three representatives from the council and three from Lovell. Among the recommendations being presented to the executive committee next week is a proposal to use initial capital and revenue receipts from the joint venture – up to £5 million – to create a dedicated council budget to support the partnership moving forward.
