COUNCILLORS have welcomed an affordable housing development in a North Yorkshire village, which they say has a desperate shortage of housing for local people.

The development of 16 affordable homes on Garbutts Lane in Hutton Rudby, near Stokesley, was approved by Hambleton District Council at a recent planning meeting. 

The decision has come as the North Yorkshire Strategic Housing Partnership this week released its annual report in which it revealed in the last 12 months 536 affordable homes have been built in North Yorkshire, although only 73 of these were in rural locations.

The partnership has now set out its strategy for 2015, which will make reducing homelessness and increasing the provision of affordable homes a priority.

The Hutton Rudby development, made up of two and three bedroomed homes and two bungalows, was identified after Broadacres Housing Association held a community consultation in the village in September 2013.

Residents expressed concern about the first site put forward, but another landowner came forward with the area near the cricket club.

Following the granting of planning permission, the homes should be completed by March 2015.

The council received four objections to the development, voicing concerns about issues such as traffic from the site potentially making the road more dangerous, as it lies outside a 30mph zone. Another commented the site was too far away from the centre of the village and a children’s play area.

But the district council planning meeting heard how Hutton Rudby Parish Council were “wholly behind the proposal for affordable homes” as demonstrated by the number of applications they had received for homes in the area.

Hutton Rudby councillor Bridget Fortune told the district council the appearance of the homes was of a “high standard” and would make a “wonderful gateway” into the village.

She said: “I welcome this site very much. It’s much-needed.

"This is the fourth attempt at procuring an affordable homes site. Nearby Potto and Crathorne haven’t any provision or any contingency for any homes; never mind affordable homes.

"I am sure there are a hidden group of people still yet to put their hands up. I cannot stress how important this is.”

She added: “These are homes that are needed by local people. This fits the criteria for local homes for local people with local connections.”