ON HOME GROUND

How Broadacres Housing Association is helping rural communities thrive

Sowerby Gateway Site

uring the last few years it has become increasingly difficult for young people to get on the property ladder. Here in North Yorkshire, second-homers and buyto-letters have been snapping up desirable country cottages. The pandemic has piled on the pressure still further as urban professionals with deep pockets – now geared up to working from home – seek to flee the cities in search of rural seclusion.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Northallertonbased Broadacres Housing Association is one of the local organisations fighting to redress the balance. This innovative, not-for-profit business manages more than 6,500 rental and shared-ownership properties in Richmondshire, Hambleton, Darlington, Harrogate, the North Yorkshire Moors and elsewhere in the North East. And they are looking to invest millions more in affordable housing in years to come – both new-builds and sympathetic refurbishments of existing properties.

KEEPING IT LOCAL

“Having affordable local housing gives the younger generation a chance to live where they grew up and where they work, and – via shared ownership – to get a foot on the housing ladder,” says Broadacres’ Sales and Marketing Manager Maria Baker. “It keeps rural communities alive.”

Projects currently in hand include a £9.2 million affordable housing development on the site of the former Tall Trees hotel and nightclub in Yarm. Here Broadacres will be building 79 homes for affordable rent, with a further 35 properties to be offered for sale – including shared-ownership sales – by Broadacres’ private development arm, Mulberry Homes Yorkshire. Profits from sales like these are used to support the development of new rented homes.

Another current Broadacres project is in Sedbergh, where plans are afoot to create 50 homes, stone-built and rendered in keeping with the local architecture, 34 of which will be for affordable rent and shared ownership, with people in Sedbergh and surrounding communities being given first refusal on these properties.

Heather Court, West Witton

Meanwhile in Sowerby, near Thirsk, a £12 million scheme aims to build 97 properties, 59 for affordable rent to be allocated to people with a connection to Sowerby and the surrounding area and 38 for shared ownership. And in West Witton, six new homes have already been reserved on discounted sale, with a further two for rent.

SETTING STANDARDS

In all its projects, Broadacres is determined to meet high standards, not only as regards the quality and comfort of the accommodation but also in terms of the increasingly important criteria of sustainability and energy efficiency. And energy efficiency will, of course, in turn help tackle the problem of fuel poverty.

Broadacres aims to become a net carbon zero business by 2050. New-build properties are being fitted with energy-efficient heating systems such as air source heat pumps. Older properties under their care are benefitting too, and are gradually being retrofitted with improved insulation and new technology to replace inefficient storage heaters and gas boilers. True to its lofty ideals, Broadacres is also an enthusiastic contributor to a wide range of community initiatives. Three food banks – Hambleton FoodShare in Northallerton, the Influence Church in Richmond and Community Works in Thirsk – have received generous donations from the company. And recent beneficiaries of the Broadacres Community Development Fund have included Wensleydale School, the Upper Dales Community Partnership and East Thirsk Community Hall.

If towns and villages in rural North Yorkshire are to remain vigorous and healthy, it’s essential that they don’t become the exclusive preserve of the wealthy or degenerate into glorified holiday resorts. Charities like Broadacres are doing their best to help local folk stay local, so let’s wish them every success in their mission. For more information visit broadacres.org.uk and mulberryhomesyorkshire.com

energy efficiency will help tackle the problem of fuel poverty.

NORMAN F. BROWN

CHARTERED SURVEYORS  ESTATE AGENTS  LETTINGS Selling and letting property since 1967

NOCHAIN

Pretoria Cottage, Gunnerside

A detached traditional cottage. Entrance porch, lounge/dining room, kitchen, utility room, G/F shower room/ WC, 2 bedrooms, electric storage heating, double glazing. Contents available by separate negotiation. EER F27.

£215,000 Richmond O ce NOCHAIN

The Vicarage, Reeth

A well proportioned detached family house. Entrance porch, hall, lounge, dining room, study, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom/WC, 4 bedrooms, bathroom, separate WC, garage, ample parking, front, side, and rear gardens, oil fired central heating, UPVC double glazing. EER E53.

£410,000 Richmond O ce Brentwood, Leyburn

A high quality detached bungalow. Entrance hall, lounge, kitchen/dining room, inner hall, 3 bedrooms, en-suite shower room/WC, bathroom/WC, double garage, ample parking, front and rear gardens, gas fi red C/H, UPVC D/G, security alarm, hardwired BT Wi-fi system, 10 year NHBC Guarantee from 2018. EER 84, EIR 86. £465,000 Richmond O ce

14 Queens Rd, Richmond 01748 822473

6 Bridge Street, Bedale 01677 422282

25 Market Place, Leyburn 01969 622194

• Self-build • New-build • Conversion • Refurbishment • Extension • Defect Identifi cation and Resolution

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Richard J Ellis BSc (Hons) FCIOB MAPM Chartered Construction Manager t: 01969 625721 m: 07522 956892 e: Richard@rjepm.co.uk w: www.rjepm.co.uk