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05
Oct 2022
Homeless accommodation plan approved for Bilton garages
Homeless people are set to benefit from new purpose-built housing in Bilton after plans were given the go-ahead by councillors.
Harrogate Borough Council has approved its own plans to demolish 10 garages on Woodfield Close to make way for two homes providing temporary accommodation.
Maggie Gibson, housing needs manager at the authority, told a planning committee meeting yesterday that the single-bed properties will be for people who are unable to use shared accommodation because of their complex needs. She added:
Using garage sites to bring forward new homes has been a tactic used by the council to tackle Harrogate’s housing problems, with plans for affordable homes recently approved in Pannal and Ripon.
The Woodfield Close site is located near the footbridge which connects to the Nidderdale Greenway, and some garages will be retained.
The area will also be resurfaced to provide five public parking spaces, with potential for electric vehicle charging points.
Read more:
- Councillors vote to defer decision on 53 homes in Bilton
- Majority of residents want 20mph speed limit, councillor says
No solar panels
There are, however, no plans for solar panels on the two properties after council officers said they ran into complications with tariffs and shared roof spaces.
Councillor Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group, expressed disappointment over this and that the homes are to be heated by gas boilers and not more environmentally-friendly methods such as air source heat pumps. She said:
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