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23
Dec 2020
Demolition of Bilton's Woodfield House set to begin in January
Work to demolish Woodfield House care home in Bilton and build 19 flats could start in a fortnight and last more than a year.
A construction management plan submitted to Harrogate Borough Council says construction firm HACS will start the project on January 4 and continue for 55 weeks.
If the plan is approved, workers will be on site in Woodfield Square from 8.00am – 6.00pm from Monday to Friday and 8.00am – 1pm on Saturdays.
Access to the site is from Skipton Road via the Woodfield Estate.
North Yorkshire County Council's housing company Brierley Homes was granted planning permission for the project last month.
It has sparked controversy because none of the homes is classed as affordable.
This is because Brierley Homes applied for a Vacant Building Credit — a government mechanism to encourage vacant properties back into use, which can be used to remove the provision for affordable housing.
Instead, Brierley Homes will make a financial contribution of £72,528 to Harrogate Borough Council, which granted planning permission.
Henry Pankhurst, ex-chairman and current planning spokesman for Harrogate Civic Society, told the Stray Ferret he was not happy that all the new homes will be sold at market value with no provision for affordable properties, particularly as they are being built by a local authority.
Mr Pankhurst said:
Read more:
- County council to build 20 homes in Pateley Bridge
- County council housing company accused of avoiding building affordable homes
Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, defended the company’s business model in a statement released to the Stray Ferret:
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