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Call to Address Yorkshire Coast Housing Issues

Friday, 24 May 2024 06:00

By Matthew Pells and Anttoni James Numminen, Local Democracy Reporter

A Yorkshire Coast Councillor is calling for better policies to deal with the conversion of residential properties into holiday homes.

The number of residential properties being converted into holiday homes on the Yorkshire Coast needs to be addressed.

That's the view of Yorkshire Coast Councillor Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff

Speaking in a debate about North Yorkshire Council's new housing policy the Hunmanby Councillor said the number of conversions needs managing.

Councillor Donohue-Moncrieffe says too many Yorkshire Coast communities are seeing their housing stock converted into holiday homes.

She's calling on North Yorkshire Council to come up with a plan to address the issue.

Coastal councillors called for social housing to be a ‘top priority’ as the authority’s new housing plan was approved last week.The new county-wide housing plan aims to build at least 500 council houses by 2029.

Eastfield representative, Coun Tony Randerson, said he received “heartbreaking messages every week” from residents asking for help to find social housing.

He told the council:

“The fact that fewer than 12 per cent of North Yorkshire’s households are social housing homes is an absolute disgrace when we still have, in the old Scarborough Borough area, some 2,000 without the sanctuary of a permanent roof over their heads.”

He added:

“I would urge you […] to reconsider and set an aspirational social homes target of 500 per year.”

Councillor Simon Myers, the executive member for housing, said he would

“love to build 500 council houses a year but that would put the housing revenue strategy at risk”.

He noted that North Yorkshire is the “second most unaffordable county in England for residents to buy or rent property” which was impacting the economy and people’s well-being.

Coastal areas such as Scarborough and Whitby are particularly affected by a lack of affordable housing, with many businesses stating that they struggle to find employees as a result.

Coun Phil Trumper seconded the motion and said that

“as a Whitby councillor, this strategy goes a long way in addressing the problems in our town”.

Coun John Ritchie said the housing plan was

“one of the most important documents that has been brought to this council“.

 

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