The Conservative-led City of York Council is set to enter into a new partnership which could help deliver 5,000 homes in York over the next 15 years.
The proposed partnership between the council and the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) will address the reasons for a lack of new housing in York, encourage more investment and will let the council to use national support to progress the construction of much needed homes, particularly on brownfield sites.
The partnership will look into how to increase the delivery of a mix of homes to buy or rent as well as affordable housing, and how to kick-start building on stalled sites or to speed the development process of new housing on public land. A number of sites have already been identified as potential development opportunities, which are owned by the council and are ready for development subject to planning consent and which could see 471 new homes built on sites including Askham Bar, Burnholme and Lowfield.
Conservative Cllr. Sam Lisle, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods said: “York needs more homes in the right places. High house prices make it difficult for people, even those on average earnings, to become home owners and high rent levels make it tough on people with lower wages.
“This new partnership with the HCA is a key Government initiative aimed at increasing house building and could hep build over 1,000 homes in York over the next three years. If we can get to the root of the problem, encourage more investment and develop more intermediate and affordable homes in York we can help generations of potential homeowners get on the housing ladder.”
Proposals to sign up to a Memorandum of Understanding with the HCA and to develop a business case will come before the meeting of the council’s Conservative-led Executive on Thursday 16 March.