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10
Jul
Developer completes £20 million Spofforth affordable housing scheme
A housing developer has completed a £20 million scheme for 72 affordable homes in Spofforth.
Yorkshire Housing, which is based in Leeds, built the development in partnership with Jack Lunn Ltd and was backed with funding from government housing agency, Homes England.
The project began construction in 2022 and is based on Massey Fold in the village.
Called Bridgewell, the scheme offers a mixture of tenures including shared ownership, affordable rent and rent to buy homes.
Steven Harrison, development project manager at Yorkshire Housing, said:
It’s fantastic to see Bridgewell finished and people settling into their new homes. We know how tough it is for people to find affordable homes in rural and expensive areas like this, where house prices are out of reach for many.
Too often, people are priced out of the places they grew up in or work in. Affordable homes like these give people a real chance to stay local, put down roots, and build a future.
The scheme includes a range of two, three and four bedroom homes.
Yorkshire Housing colleagues, contractors, councillors, and residents gathered to celebrate the development’s completion.
Yorkshire Housing said the aim of the project was to offer “real opportunities for individuals” in an area such as Harrogate and Knaresborough, which has some of the highest property and private rent prices in Yorkshire.
It added that the development is “tenure blind”, meaning meaning every home is built to the same high standard, regardless of whether it’s rented or owned.
Andrew Lunn, construction director at Jack Lunn, said:
This site presented a number of complex challenges throughout its development. From the outset, we tackled these head on, showing resilience, expertise, and a commitment to quality that has resulted in a scheme we are extremely proud of.
This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and professionalism of our design team and subcontractors, whose hard work and attention to detail were crucial in delivering such a high-quality build.
We also extend our sincere thanks to Spofforth Parish Council, especially chairperson June Geddes, for their invaluable support and collaboration.
'A carbuncle of urban sprawl'
The development in Spofforth was approved by a government planning inspector in October 2021 after Yorkshire Housing appealed a Harrogate Borough Council decision to refuse the scheme.
At the time, more than 300 local people and organisations, including Natural England and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, raised concerns about the development.
Chris Heslop, a third-generation farmer and parish councillor in the village, said the development would turn the village into a “carbuncle of urban sprawl” when it went before the council.
However, Siobhan Watson, the government planning inspector, said she found the council’s reasons for refusal “vague and illogical”.
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