Village’s first new homes in 30 years delayed

Ingleby Arncliffe's primary school closed in 2017

Councillors have expressed disappointment after plans to build the village's first houses in three decades stalled due to increased costs and difficulty finding contractors.

The 18 homes are to be built in Ingleby Arncliffe in North Yorkshire and managed by social housing association Beyond Housing.

A statement from the parish council it was “exploring options” and chair David Cook said members and residents were “frustrated and disappointed” by the delay.

A spokesperson for Beyond Housing said it “remains committed to delivering these much-needed affordable homes in this rural community".

Villagers voted to adopt a Neighbourhood Plan in 2021 to enshrine local demand for housing in planning policy, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The move was sparked by the closure of the village primary school in 2017, which led many residents to call for more homes for young families.

Beyond Housing said it had received “some positive news” on its funding bid for the scheme and that it was continuing to work with Homes England, North Yorkshire Council and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Osmotherley and Hutton Rudby councillor David Hugill said while the development was continuing to face obstacles, particularly over funding, he remained convinced it would eventually go ahead.

He said: “When it’s affordable housing there’s a lot of things to get lined up in the right order to get moving.

“Beyond Housing is doing all the right things to try and raise the finance but it hasn’t happened yet.”

North Yorkshire Council's executive member for housing Simon Myers, said the council was considering how it could best spend funds raised through the second homes council tax premium being launched in April.

He said an idea being examined included focusing money where the social benefits of developing affordable homes had been judged to be high, but the scheme needed a cash injection to make it financially viable.

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