Affordable Yorkshire Dales homes scheme prices criticised

An affordable homes scheme in the Yorkshire Dales National Park has been criticised for its prices.

Properties at Hornblower Court in Bainbridge are being sold at up to £320,000 under a shared ownership scheme.

One councillor questioned how anyone living in the area, who the scheme aims to help, could afford them.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) said the scheme made a type of housing affordable for some.

The development was only given consent on condition it delivered affordable housing but was changed to a shared ownership scheme after a neighbouring resident threatened court action.

Originally the scheme would have seen the most expensive property priced at £196,000 but to avoid court costs, YDNPA conceded that was not affordable and instead developed the shared ownership scheme with Broadacres Housing Association.

Now, potential buyers wanting a 25% share in a £320,000 three-bed terrace would pay a weekly rent of £126.92 while also paying off their £80,000 contribution.

Yvonne Peacock, North Yorkshire councillor for the Upper Dales, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the authority had not been "brave enough" to stand its ground.

"How can anyone local possibly afford to live in them? The original affordable housing scheme was passed twice, unanimously, and after a resident threatened a judicial review they backed down... and look what we are left with," she said.

"If the park authority had gone ahead with the original scheme the houses would have cost up to £124,000 less than they do now," she said.

Richard Foster, from the park authority, said it was examining how to ensure a range of affordable housing options in its local plan.

"We are in a desirable area and it does price the lower end of the market out.

"These houses may not be affordable to everybody, but hopefully there will be locals out there who can afford these houses."

Broadacres' director Helen Fielding said they understood the difficulty people faced buying a home in rural parts of North Yorkshire.

"Our shared ownership homes at Bainbridge offer people with a connection to the area the opportunity to buy as little as a 10% share in their home, in the first instance, for just £24,000 and then pay a subsidised rent on the remaining share."

She said it meant people could get a "first foot" on the ladder with a smaller deposit and could buy additional shares in the property later.

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