Dales plans affordable housing

THE YORKSHIRE Dales National Park Authority gave its full backing to a plan to build affordable homes in the area for workers in the Dales on Wed (Jan 25).

In conjunction with a regional building society the Park Authority intends to invest £10m in affordable, rented accommodation for what it calls ‘key‘ employees.

The Park Authority has recently been evaluating a number of ways in which it could address a shortage of affordable housing for people working in low paid jobs employed in the Park.

“If you don‘t sustain your communities which have kept this area as it is for hundreds of years, then one day you will turn round and find there is no-one there to do the work,” said David Butterworth, YDNPA chief executive.

“As far as I am aware this is the first scheme of its kind in the country.

“The question of access to services and affordable housing is something that is of concern to the Authority and, by getting involved in this scheme, we have yet again shown our commitment to the long-term future of the communities in the Dales.”