Tag: housing

National Park having to build more houses because of second homes and holiday lets

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

“For every house we are building, we are losing three to second homes and holiday lets.”

This, along with “an explosion in Airbnbs” has become a priority problem for the North York Moors National Park (NYMNP), which says it is, “for the first time”, looking at expanding its villages with developments of housing on the outskirts to try and keep communities alive.

Declining services in villages, particularly schools, as well as local and younger people being priced out of the area’s housing market are threatening the viability of village life within the national park for future generations to come.

Speaking at Monday’s meeting of Whitby Community Network, Paul Fellows, Head of Strategic Planning at the NYMNP said the authority is now looking at building on the outskirts of villages to create affordable housing and convert existing buildings into suitable housing options.

A Call for Sites which can be examined for potential future developments has been opened by the NYMNP.

The findings will form part of an adopted Local Plan which sets out priorities for land use and development.

Mr Fellows said: “We are having to build a lot more houses than we would need to if we weren’t losing stock to second homes and holiday lets.

“The 2011 census figure for second homes was 17. 3 per cent. I think it has gone up and is about 19 per cent now and there has been an explosion in Airbnbs.

“We have a problem in terms of services declining, particularly schools. Seven in the national park are at less than half capacity. They include Goathland and Egton Bridge and there is a real question over the viability of those in the future.”

Within the NYMNP area, the average wage is £49,700 and take home pay £3,000, but the average house price is £389,000 and above the income threshold for a manageable mortgage, he told the meeting.

Fifty-five per cent of local people are unable to afford to buy a house in the area they live, he added.

Mr Fellow said: “Since we did our last plan we have got more people unable to afford a house without help.”

“We are doing a call for sites so if you know of any in villages or on the edge of villages for houses in the national park, we would like to know about them.

“We are actively exploring where we need to allocate sites within the villages for the first time. Brown field we are interested in and existing houses that can be converted.

“We are starting to get to the point where people are really struggling in terms of affordable housing so we have got to be a bit more ambitious.”

The NYMNP says the submission of a site doesn’t guarantee it will be allocated or granted planning permission. 

It says it is also unlikely to proceed with sites which are isolated from existing settlements, encroach into open countryside, create visually prominent or intrusive development, harm landscape character and biodiversity or heritage assets, lead to unsustainable patterns of development.

The deadline for site submission is November 30, 2026.

New houses planned for Whitby will not be second homes or holiday lets, says council

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

North Yorkshire Council members say they have already begun to receive objection letters to a development in Whitby that has not yet even requested planning permission.

Earlier this month, North Yorkshire Council (NYC) announced it was looking to enter into a 30 year partnership with national housing developer, Lovell, in a deal worth £3.9bn to help the authority meet the housing targets it says it has been set.

One of its two, first projects, is 60 homes on a parcel of council-owned land – off Sandsend Road and backing on to Love Lane – with 18 to be deemed affordable housing.

At an Executive meeting of NYC, held last week, to approve the joint venture agreement between the authority and Lovell, the council leader said he had received “a number” of letters about the Whitby project.

Coun Carl Les said: “We need to note we have all received a number of letters about this subject. The vast majority are to do with planning matters for a planning application, in Whitby, that has not yet been received.”

Locals are concerned about over-development, the lack of infrastructure, loss of greenspace and whether the properties will be sold or allocated specifically to local people and what does ‘affordable’ actually mean?

Andy Jefferson, on behalf of Whitby Community Network, spoke at last Tuesday’s neeting and said the proposals didn’t meet the town’s biggest needs.

Mr Jefferson said: “The proposed agreement is only providing 30 per cent as “affordable” housing. Thirty per cent “affordable” housing is the present requirement under the Local Plan for any housing developer, therefore how is this joint venture “increasing affordable housing delivery”? What benefit is being gained by the local taxpayers or the residents of Whitby?”

The average wage in Whitby still isn’t enough to meet mortgage requirements even for affordable housing, whilst 45 per cent of housing in town is being used for holiday or second homes, he added.

Councillors themselves expressed concern about affordability and making sure new homes meet Whitby’s need.

Coun Simon Myers, Executive Member for Culture, Arts and Housing, said NYC was looking at ways to make sure the houses are not later used for second homes or holiday lets.

He said: “The Council recognises the housing challenges facing Whitby, including affordability pressures, the impact of second homes and holiday accommodation, and the need for housing that meets the requirements of local residents.

“The provision of new social rented homes through this development would make a direct contribution towards addressing those needs and would provide housing that remains available to local households in perpetuity.

“The Council has also made clear it is considering mechanisms to ensure homes delivered through the joint venture, particularly in Whitby and other coastal communities, are used as primary residences rather than as second homes or holiday lets.

“Whether this is achieved through arrangements within the joint venture itself or through the planning process is still being considered, but the intention is clear: the homes are being delivered to meet local housing need and not to become short-term holiday accommodation.”

The meeting also heard any future planning applications for houses off Sandsend Road – and issues relating to affordable housing provision, highway safety, environmental impact, open space, biodiversity, drainage, and the future operation of Whitby golf course – will be subject to the usual planning processes.

The Sandsend Road development, alongside one in Eastfield, Scarborough for 550 homes, are the first two under the new partnership between NYC and Lovell.

They will be the first council houses for rent in the Whitby area for 50 years, added Coun Myers.

He said: “The Joint Venture has a specific objective of increasing the supply of affordable and social rented homes across the county. 

“The development of site HA22 in Whitby presents an opportunity to facilitate the delivery of  new council-owned social rented homes, which are the most affordable form of housing available. These homes would provide accommodation for local people on local incomes and would, to my knowledge, be the first new social rented homes delivered in Whitby for more than 50 years.”

There will be 49 affordable homes at Broomfields Phase 3, a development being built by NYC’s own housing company, whilst NYC is still exploring 100 per cent affordable housing near Rievaulx Road, Whitby.

Coun Caroline Goodrick added joint venture developments should also be considered for providing much needed accommodation for young people coming out of care.

Council to build 60 new houses off Sandsend Road in bid to meet government targets

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

Sixty houses are earmarked for development on fields on the outskirts of Whitby as part of a plan by North Yorkshire Council to build sustainable and affordable housing.

North Yorkshire Council (NYC) is proposing to enter into a joint venture with national housing developer, Lovell Partnerships Ltd, to build 600 homes across Scarborough and Whitby – and share the profits.

There will be 60 houses built on land off Sandsend Road, behind Love Lane looking towards the golf course. A further 550 will be built near Eastfield at Scarborough. A council report says there will be 18 affordable homes on the Whitby development and 196 in Scarborough.

The Government has set NYC a target of delivering more than 4,000 new homes a year. The affordable homes delivered through the proposed partnership will be taken on by NYC in its capacity as a social landlord, as it aims to increase its housing stock by at least 500 new homes.

Under the agreement with Lovell, NYC provides the development land with Lovell matching its value through funding. Profit will be shared equally between the two organisations.

Land to the rear of Love Lane in Whitby that is earmarked for 60 new houses. Picture: Ceri Oakes

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for housing, Coun 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.

“As demand for housing continues to grow, particularly in our coastal and rural areas, this is an important step towards delivering the right homes in the right places for the people of North Yorkshire.

“This will be carefully considered by members of the executive at next week’s meeting.”

In June last year, NYC approved the principle of creating a Joint Venture limited liability partnership between itself and Lovell for the purposes of building new, environmentally sustainable, affordable homes with social value.

As well as Sandsend Road and Eastfield, schemes were also suggested for Rievaulx Road in Whitby and Sharphaw Avenue, Skipton. These two sites do not feature in this current scheme but are potential future ones.

Among the recommendations to be presented to the council’s executive committee next week, include a proposal to use initial capital and revenue receipts from the joint venture -up to £5m – to create a council budget to support the partnership.

The proposals are due to be considered by members of NYC’s executive committee when it meets on Tuesday July 14.

Council says £7m loan to its own housing company might not be repaid

Whitby Anchor by Emma Ryan

North Yorkshire Council has agreed to create a £7m reserve in case a loan it made to its own housing company is not repaid. 

Brierley Homes was set up by North Yorkshire Council (NYC) in 2017 to deliver housing across the county with profits being put back into council services.

However, at an Executive meeting of the authority this week it revealed Brierley Homes – currently working on a housing project in Whitby – is the only one of the council’s companies not expected to make a profit in the 2025/2026 financial year.

While the final figure is still being calculated, its loss is expected to be £7.5m. 

Reports presented at the meeting cite sales income being significantly under projected levels;  increasing costs to complete sites; and delays in the completion of homes leading to increased overhead and interest costs as reasons for the loss.

It is anticipated that £7m of the existing loan will remain outstanding over the next five years with provision for the loss being factored into final results for the financial year.

A council spokesperson said: “Whilst it is hoped that this provision will not be needed in entirety, it is prudent to provide for the £7m loan forecast to be outstanding at the end of five years.”

Work has already started on a development at Broomfields Farm on the east side of Whitby with plans for 49 affordable homes having been granted permission.

Keyland sold the site – which requires the development to be 100 per cent affordable and low carbon – to Brierley Homes earlier this year.

NYC also put forward £2m to ensure the site wasn’t lost when previous developers had to withdraw from the project.

Last year, an independent review of Brierley Homes was requested and in February, a new managing director, Tony Dodds, was appointed with a remit to establish a short, medium and long term plan for Brierley Homes placing emphasis on stability, cashflow management, a return to profitability and a debt reduction plan. 

The report discussed at the Executive meeting “identifies that £7m of the existing loan will be outstanding at the end of the medium term (next five years). On this basis, a provision for this forecast outstanding loan amount (£7m) has been included as part of the 2025/26 closedown process.”

Speaking at the meeting, Coun Mark Crane, Executive Member for Open to Business, said: “We are keeping a close eye on Brierley Homes and the appointment of the managing director is a positive step forward. He seems to have got to the bottom of the issues, we are on a more sustainable footing.

“I can’t underestimate the amount of affordable homes being built as a result of Brierley Homes.

“If it was not for Brierley Homes there would probably be hundreds of affordable units that had not been delivered and people would not be living in today. That is a record we should be proud of but we need to get under the bonnet of this and make sure we don’t have losses in future years.”

Whitby Anchor