City of York Council forms government partnership to deliver 5,000 new homes for York

City of York Council is embarking on a new partnership with the government to help deliver 5,000 new homes on brownfield land over the next 15 years.

The partnership would see both the council and Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) signing up to a formal agreement called a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

This agreement will enable the council to use national support to build much needed new homes.

Using this support, the partnership hopes to address the root causes of poor housing supply in York, which in turn will encourage more investment and address the shortage of housing.

Cllr Sam Lisle, executive member for housing and safer neighbourhoods, said: “York needs more homes. High house prices in York make it difficult for people; even those on average earnings, to become home owners and high rent levels make it tough on people with lower wage levels.

“This new partnership with the HCA is a key Government initiative aimed at increasing housing provision and could help us build over 1,000 homes in York over the next three years.

“If we can get to the root of the problem, encourage more investment and develop more intermediate and affordable homes in York, we can help generations of potential homeowners get on the housing ladder.”

Cllr Keith Aspden, deputy leader of the council with responsibility for economic development, added: “We welcome this new partnership, which is set to be one of the first of its kind in the country.

“This will signal a new direction for York and will encourage investment whilst helping to prioritise the building of much needed new homes on brownfield land.”

Rob Pearson, General Manager at the Homes and Communities Agency, commented: “We look forward to working with the Council to develop our partnership to ensure that developing brownfield land becomes the most common way of providing new homes for the City.

“A partnership with City of York Council will mean that we could jointly look at future land purchases, site assembly and sharing our expertise to provide not just more homes but more of the homes that people want.”