New Dene Park council houses the most energy efficient in North Yorkshire

Five new homes in Harrogate are the most energy efficient properties ever developed by North Yorkshire Council, the local authority said today.

The three houses and two flats, which have been built on the site of a former car park in Dene Park, in the Woodfield area of Bilton, have air source heat pumps, solar panels, triple glazing and insulation.

The homes, which were developed for £1 million as part of a council scheme to turn redundant land into social housing, will be let to local people.

The scheme sees the council in-house development team obtain unused land, dilapidated garages and anti-social behaviour hotspots, then build properties and let them as social housing.

The Harrogate homes are the latest in more than 50 to be built on  in the former Harrogate and Craven district areas over the last eight years.

The largest house will produce 0.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, compared to an average home creating six tonnes.

Cllr Simon Myers, the council’s Conservative executive member for housing, said:

“This scheme is delivering new social rented affordable homes which make a big difference to the lives and well-being of local families. It is a scheme that has been running in Harrogate and Craven for many years and we hope to expand it across the county.

“Added to that these new homes in Harrogate are the most energy efficient we have developed, reducing fuel and lighting costs for the tenants, making them truly affordable homes.”

Cllr Simon Myers (centre) outside the new Harrogate homes with the council’s assistant director of housing, Andrew Rowe (left) and corporate director for community development, Nic Harne.

Kirsty Birbeck, manager for provider management at government housing agency Homes England, which contributed a £225,000 grant, said:

“As the government’s housing and regeneration agency, increasing the supply of quality affordable homes remains one of our key objectives and we are committed to supporting ambitious housebuilders of all sizes to build those homes and communities.

“This investment through the affordable homes programme does just that, enabling North Yorkshire Council to build five much needed new homes the people of Harrogate can be proud of.”

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Knaresborough flats to house asylum seekers and homeless

Four council-owned properties in Knaresborough are to be used to house asylum seekers and homeless people.

The flats were due to be sold for a combined estimated fee of £879,000.

But North Yorkshire Council announced today they would be taken off the market and used either for unaccompanied asylum seeking children or as move-on accommodation for homeless people transitioning to independent living.

Conservative Gareth Dadd, who represents Thirsk on the council and is also its deputy leader and in charge of finance, made the decision, according to the online notice.

Explaining the reason, the notice adds:

“North Yorkshire Council is under a legal obligation to house unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

“There are eight children on the national transfer list and 12 in hotels. An urgent decision is necessary for North Yorkshire Council to fulfil its obligation.”

The notice added:

“Whilst there are other properties that have been identified as suitable for unaccompanied asylum seeking children accommodation, these require more significant works and are therefore not available for immediate occupation.”

Harrogate Borough Council bought the properties in 2019 after they had been unoccupied for several years.

The council, which was abolished in April this year, restored them and said last year it intended to sell the leaseholds for an estimated £879,900 and retain the freehold.

Graham Swift, Harrogate Borough Council’s deputy leader at the time, said the properties “had been a blight on the high street in Knaresborough for several years” and the local authority had recognised their potential to provide homes.

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Disused Bilton car park to be used for council homes

Revised plans for five council homes on a disused car park in Harrogate have been approved at a second attempt.

Harrogate Borough Council’s housing team was sent back to the drawing board to rethink its plans for the site at Dene Park, Bilton, in May.

But the scheme has now gained approval after a planning committee meeting yesterday.

Councillors said previous concerns over the layout and designs had been addressed, although there were still questions over the loss of the car park.

Councillor Sue Lumby, a Conservative who represents Harrogate Coppice Valley, said:

“I have received a letter from a number of residents who are very concerned about parking. If cars are forced to park on pavements, it is going to make access for buses and refuse vehicles difficult.”

Gillian Wood, the council’s housing growth manager, responded by saying the car park was “grossly under-occupied” and that 12 new parking spaces would be built for the use of all residents over nearby grass verges.

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She said:

“This will reduce parking on the street.

“We have been monitoring the car park for quite a long time now and we are finding there are generally three cars on there.

“People have a preference to park outside their property, so if we can provide 12 off-street spaces that is 12 cars off the street, which should help.”

1,800 households on council waiting list

There are around 1,800 households on the council’s housing waiting list and the housing team said the car park would help provide “much-needed” accommodation for these residents.

Councillor Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat leader, also said the plans should be welcomed for this reason.

She said:

“There are people parking at the site, but it is very small in numbers. To me, what is more important is the almost 2,000 people on our housing waiting list.

“I’m really pleased the council is moving forward with this.”

Councillors unanimously voted to approve the plans at Tuesday’s meeting.