Local residents could be given priority on house sales (From Gazette & Herald)

Local residents could be given priority on house sales

SALES of former council houses in Ryedale could be restricted to local people.

The district council has made providing affordable housing one of its top priorities because of the number of young people and families having to move out of the area because they cannot afford accommodation in the private property market.

So the council is to consider taking advantage of proposals by deputy prime minister John Prescott to reduce, or limit, the effect of the right to buy in certain areas.

In a report to the council's community services and licensing committee tomorrow night, housing services manager Richard Etherington says: "The availability and affordability of housing in Ryedale is a major concern for the council."

Restricting the sale of former council homes to locals will increase the number of low-cost homes, says the report.

In 1991, 869 houses in rural towns and villages were transferred to Ryedale Housing Association (RHA). Since then, 179 have been sold under the right to buy legislation, while the association itself has built or bought 39 houses.

Currently, RHA has 728 houses in rural areas of Ryedale.

"Although 378 houses are still subject to the legislation, not all will be sold, as the number of sales has fallen in recent years," says Mr Etherington. Latest figures show that 12 properties were sold in a year.

He added that the changes announced by the Government alter the criteria.

"It has removed the requirement for the rural area to have 3pc or more of its stock as second homes and is prepared to designate areas that include towns with up to 3,000 inhabitants."

Mr Etherington said there are already similar right-to-buy restrictions included in covenants on the sale of properties in the North York Moors National Park and the Howardian Hills area of outstanding natural beauty in Ryedale.

The restriction defines 'local people' as people living or working for at least three years in North Yorkshire.

Mr Etherington says that if the committee backs the restriction on sales, the area it applied to would need to be designated as "rural" by secretary of state Margaret Beckett.

"In Ryedale, this would include the whole of the district, with the exception of the market towns of Malton, Norton and Pickering."

Last May, all 94 parish councils in Ryedale with under 3,000 residents were contacted to seek their views on the need to keep homes for local people and the need for affordable homes. Only 19 replies were received, said Mr Etherington, but the majority of those who replied supported rural designation.

Updated: 11:46 Wednesday, April 14, 2004