Call to families to register for local affordable homes list (From York Press)

Call to families to register for local affordable homes list

11:52am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Ryedale news

FAMILIES in Ryedale seeking an affordable home in the district are being told to put their names forward for houses that are still on the drawing board.

Homes have recently been completed in Norton, Ampleforth, Thorntonle- Dale and Pickering and more are due to be ready by summer in Malton, Hovingham and Sherburn.

Lorraine Gould, Ryedale District Council’s senior housing options officer said people with a connection with Ryedale could apply for homes for both rent and purchase, as a result of the new schemes.

“The properties are generally built by registered social landlords but Ryedale District Council is responsible for ensuring that the ‘local homes for local people’ criterion is met,” she said.

Application forms are available from the council’s housing options team on 01653 600666 or can be collected from Ryedale House.

People wanting to rent a house are asked to contact North Yorkshire Homechoice website, at www.northyorkshirehomechoice.org.uk, where there is information on homes for sale and rent, as well as others for exchange.

Two properties in Norton which were bought in a previous release, are available for re-sale in Norton.

One is two-bedroomed, the other three-bedroomed, and anyone interested should complete an application form by Sunday.

The prices will be between £72,750 and £82,100 and Ms Gould said: “Interested applicants should ensure they have access to a mortgage.”

• A ten-year plan to provide homes in North Yorkshire for local residents has been completed by the county’s Rural Housing Enablers group.

The group’s key priorities are to deliver better homes, choice and opportunity, fair access to homes, and creating better places to live.

In the past three years, a total of 550 social homes have been built in the county’s rural areas. But the group warns there will be only limited public finance available to deliver its investment aspirations.

A spokesman said: “We remain confident our partnership will continue to deliver value for money and excellent services to residents.”

Ryedale District Council is among the local authorities involved in the partnership, together with North Yorkshire County Council, the North York Moors National Park Authority and the Homes and Community Agency.

• The cost of providing housing to meet the needs of all the vulnerable households in Ryedale is estimated at £11 million. Julian Rudd, head of economy and housing at Ryedale District Council, told the council’s commissioning board last week a group had been studying solutions.

Its conclusions will be presented to the board on March 22.