Scarborough Council approves £18,000 funding for ‘much-needed’ community housing in Goathland, near Whitby

Scarborough Council’s cabinet voted unanimously in favour of approving a grant of £18,115 to support a community housing project at a meeting held on Tuesday, March 14.

The funding will enable the partial renovation of a cottage to ensure it meets standards.

The property is owned by the Church Cottages Trust which was set up as a charitable trust in 2021 to renovate two cottages in Goathland, according to the council, and let them out as affordable housing in the village.

The two cottages were left to the village “by a resident in perpetuity many years ago” to be let as affordable housing, one of which had lain empty for several years and required full renovation while the other property is said to require partial renovation.

Last year funding of £31,500 was granted by the council to enable the derelict property to be renovated and then let out.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Liz Colling, the cabinet member for inclusive growth, said: “Affordable housing is difficult for everyone in the borough but I think it is especially difficult for people in rural areas and those that are in or adjoining the national park.”

The Trust, which has now secured the necessary match funding to undertake the renovation of the second cottage, envisages that works will be completed by August.

According to the council report, the trust will also provide an assured shorthold tenancy and will set the rent levels at no higher than an affordable rent.

Cllr Steve Siddons, who presented the item in the absence of Cllr Carl Maw, the cabinet member for housing, said: “It is important to remember that with every house another family gets to live in a decent home that is affordable and we need to do everything we can to make that work.”

The renovation of the second cottage by the Trust will be the sixth community-led housing project to be delivered in the borough and supported by the council and brings the total number of new homes developed or renovated through the Community Housing Fund to 13 across the borough.

Cllr Colling added: “It is really meaningful to those communities and to those 13 families.”