Yorkshire Dales - Issues and Options Consultation
Released On 27th Jul 2022
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) has recently launched an issues and options consultation setting out its preferred policy options for its new Local Plan. As a National Park the Plan will need to address the sometimes delicate balance between encouraging locally-sustainable development for people who live and work in the National Park whilst at the same time delivering on the statutory National Park purposes of conservation and enhancement of natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage. There is a primary need for affordable homes for local people who are often priced out of the market. Alongside this there is a concern that any new market housing could end up as second homes, potentially pushing prices further out of reach of those that need them.
Three Dragons has produced a viability assessment for the YDNPA to help guide policy choices. Taking account of the authority’s aspirations to deliver on mitigation of bio-diversity and climate change as well as provide affordable and market housing that is attractive to younger people or working age households, the viability assessment makes recommendations on the levels and type of affordable housing that is achievable in the National Park. A key finding is that development should be able to provide a higher proportion of homes as affordable housing in the South East of the National Park than in the North West. The viability assessment has also informed a new National Park requirement that all new homes should be for permanent occupancy only.
The consultation runs until 19th august 2022