Affordable homes provision to be increased as average housing costs soar

Affordable housing provision is to be increased to on the council’s Ordnance Lane Passivhaus site in Fishergate, where the number of homes will be doubled from around 50 to 100.

Homes have also been agreed for the site of the former Willow House on Walmgate, where around 40 new properties are planned alongside improvements to the neighbourhood.

Other plots ready for development are at the former 68 Centre in Heworth and the former Woolnough House care home site. These will be offered to registered social landlords to deliver the housing.

Councillor Michael Pavlovic, executive member for housing and safer communities at City of York Council, said: “The average home in York currently costs 10.9 times the average earnings, rents have risen 10% in the last year and energy costs continue to rise.

“To tackle this, a core commitment of the new council plan ‘One City, for all’, is to increase the supply of good quality, affordable housing with high energy efficiency and low emissions.

“Creating 100% affordable homes meets that commitment. Now, on our Ordnance Lane site alone, we’re doubling the high-quality Passivhaus housing which will be affordable to rent, buy and run, from around 50 to 100 homes.”