Hundreds of affordable homes to be built in Scarborough and Whitby

​Scarborough and Whitby are set to see hundreds of affordable homes built through a multimillion-pound joint venture following the approval of a scheme by bosses at North Yorkshire Council.

​The project with housing developer Lovell Partnerships Ltd aims to establish a 30-year joint venture vehicle (JVV) with a contract value of up to £3.9 billion.

​Sandsend Road in Whitby is anticipated to deliver 60 homes, 18 of which will be affordable, while Eastfield in Scarborough is expected to deliver 548 homes, 196 of which will be affordable.

​The council intends to enter into forward purchasing agreements to secure 226 of these affordable homes for its Housing Revenue Account, contributing to a wider target of delivering 500 additional homes.

​Councillor Simon Myers, executive member for housing, said: “The proposed joint venture could provide a long-term mechanism for delivering new housing, affordable homes, and social value whilst generating returns for the council.

​“By working with a trusted partner and using land we already own, we can accelerate the delivery of high-quality housing, including much-needed affordable homes, so that more families have the opportunity to live in the communities they want to.”

​He added: “We know that joint ventures don’t always work, so we’ve been very keen to develop a structure of checks and balances that protect the council’s interest.”

​However, concerns were raised by the Whitby Community Network CIC about the venture’s ability to meet the housing needs in the area.

​Speaking at a recent NYC executive committee meeting on behalf of the network, Andy Jefferson highlighted that the proposed agreement designated only 30 per cent as “affordable” housing, which is the current requirement under the Local Plan for any housing developer.

​He questioned how this joint venture would “increase affordable housing delivery” and what benefit would be gained by local taxpayers and the residents of Whitby.

Council bosses said they recognised the housing challenges facing Whitby, including affordability pressures, the impact of second homes and holiday accommodation, and the need for housing that meets the requirements of local residents.

The provision of new social rented homes through this development would make a direct contribution towards addressing those needs and would provide housing that remains available to local households in perpetuity, they added.

​The council can, but is not required, to utilise the Joint Venture for more sites than those initial sites identified, according to a report.

The Government has set the council a target of delivering more than 4,000 new homes a year, and the joint venture would support that ambition.

The affordable homes delivered through the partnership would be taken on by the authority in its role as a social landlord, contributing to its aim to increase its housing stock by at least 500 new homes.

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