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09
Oct
'No such thing as affordable housing in Nidderdale', developer says
This week the Stray Ferret looks into the shortage of rental housing and affordable homes in and around Pateley Bridge. This article is the third in a four-part series. Today, we speak to the developer of one of the district’s most controversial projects.
The owner of Glasshouses Mill has said building affordable housing at the development would not be realistic.
Chris Hawkesworth, who bought the site in 1971, partnered with developer Newby Homes to deliver the 50-home scheme.
The building, which is Grade-II listed, has already undergone the first phase of construction – with 32 homes now complete – and another 18 are yet to be built.
The Stray Ferret has been looking into the shortage of rental properties and affordable homes in Pateley Bridge and surrounding villages. None of the properties at Glasshouses Mill were available as long-term rentals when they were built, but some have since been listed as holiday lets.
A local man attributed the lack of rental homes in Nidderdale to the increasing number of holiday lets – but Mr Hawkesworth gave us his take. He said:
The building was a bit of a ruin before it was developed, but the main structure was pretty sound.
So, when you ask me about affordable housing, it was just not realistic and it still isn't realistic. Partly due to the money that has gone into it.
It needed the rooves replacing, new windows had to be put it. We’ve forked out £100,000 to increase the size of electric overhead wires from Summerbridge to Glasshouses, we moved the substation and re-cabled it.
Residents already live at the site. At the time of publication, one property was still on the market, but it will set buyers back nearly £500,000 – leaving little room for young people or those on lower wages to be able to move to the development.
But Mr Hawkesworth told the Stray Ferret:
When you add it all together, there’s no such thing as affordable housing in Nidderdale. You cannot do cheap materials, or do things cheaply, particularly in a rural area like Pateley Bridge. If we could have provided some affordable housing, we would have done.
Holiday lets
The Stray Ferret looked into properties being used as holiday rentals at Glasshouses Mill.
At the time of publication, a three-bedroom loft at the site listed on holidaycottages.co.uk was being offered for nearly £700 a night in October.
On Airbnb, another cottage at Glasshouses Mill costs more than £120 per night to rent, plus a cleaning fee and service charge.
We asked Mr Hawkesworth if the restorative project was always envisaged to include short-term holiday lets. He said:
No. I’m told the main block has around six units advertised as holiday lets. Of that six, around three or four are small ones occupied by single persons, so I’m told.
I’ve also been told there’s a number of people who are retired in the area, whose children live in London and the children then sub-let properties to augment their income when they go back down to London.
Mr Hawkesworth added three of the holiday lets were owned by local people as “investments and permanent holiday lets”.
A visual of phase 1 of the Glasshouses Mill development. Credit: Newby Homes.
Lack of rental housing is ‘definitely the problem’
Despite none of the properties at Glasshouses Mill being listed as long-term rentals – and some available as holiday lets – Mr Hawkesworth told the Stray Ferret a lack of rental residential properties is “definitely the problem”.
However, he does not feel the increasing number of holiday lets is the root cause.
In terms of holiday lets, I don’t have any stats, but I’d guess it’s probably not the root of the issue. It would be a small percentage of the housing stock. I think it’s more that wealthy people retire here and buy the bigger properties.
But unless we’re prepared to release land on the outskirts of the villages, we’re all on a hiding to nothing. For example, the pub in Grantley was for sale but they’ve not put plans in to convert it into a holiday let.
The Stray Ferret asked Mr Hawkesworth how reliant he feels Pateley Bridge and surrounding villages are on the tourism economy – and whether something should be done to balance the needs of visitors and local or prospective residents.
The town is pretty reliant on the tourism economy – caravan sites double the population in summer. Places like the Spa in Pateley run out of stock over the summer too.
An awful lot of money is made out of tourism around here – and you’ve got to balance it out – but the tourism industry also needs people to do the jobs.
Mr Hawkesworth said the concept of financially affordable homes is “for the birds”, but he does not feel the responsibility to offer more affordable or rental homes in the area is on developers.
He said:
I support housing for local renters and affordable homes, but it’s not that easy to offer.
To tackle the financial side of things, it has to be dealt with by housing associations and the government. Planners need to back off, to be honest.
In the final part of the series tomorrow, we speak with North Yorkshire Council about affordable homes.
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