A call has been made for new affordable housing built across York and North Yorkshire to be genuinely within reach of local residents following the adoption of a major new housing strategy.
At a meeting of the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority (YNYCA) today (FRIDAY), members formally adopted the draft Housing Growth Strategy, which aims to deliver 60,000 new homes across the region over the next decade, including 25,000 affordable homes.
York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith said the strategy was a major step towards tackling the housing crisis.
He said:
“The only way to tackle the housing crisis in York and North Yorkshire is to build our way out of it. We’re stepping up to build 60,000 new homes by 2035, with a firm commitment that 25,000 of these will be genuinely affordable.
“Working in close partnership with Homes England and the local councils, we’ll ensure we deliver the right homes in the right places with the right infrastructure.”
The strategy has been developed alongside Homes England, City of York Council, North Yorkshire Council and the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership.
However, Hipswell and Colburn councillor, Kevin Foster, spoke at the meeting to urge leaders to ensure homes described as affordable were actually affordable for local people.
He said:
“It is all well and good for the mayor to talk about affordable housing, but in my division I simply do not see enough homes that are truly affordable for local residents.
“Property prices currently range from around £150,000 for a basic two-bedroom house to more than £300,000 for a four-bedroom property.
“In an area with limited employment opportunities, largely centred around Ministry of Defence-related roles and retail, many of these homes remain out of reach for local families.
“What we urgently need is more social rented and council housing homes that are genuinely affordable and supported by the right infrastructure.
“Increasing social housing would not only help local families but would also help reduce pressure on private rents, which are currently beyond the means of many residents and are pushing some into food or fuel poverty.”
The Housing Growth Strategy sets out plans to accelerate development across the region while increasing the supply of affordable housing through partnerships with housing associations and developers.
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