A COMPETITION winning affordable housing scheme in Horton-in-Ribblesdale looks to have been scuppered because of its 'novel design' as well as cost of the site and 'difficulties with funding'.

In March, 2019, the Great Place: Lakes and Dales programme, which was set up to attract young people to live, work and stay in the Dales, together with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) ran a competition for architects to design affordable housing in the Dales village.

The brief was to use a Craven District Council owned just under a quarter of an acre site off Ribblehead Road, on the outskirts of Horton.

At the time, a consultant with Great Place: Lakes and Dales said they were not looking for 'boring boxes' but 'exciting and cutting edge designs' and that 'affordability and innovation' were 'key strands to the concept.'

The council had initially been looking at building four affordable homes on the site, made up of two, two bedroom properties, and two three bedroom, and at the time classed ‘affordable’ as £147,000 for a two to three bedroom home. The aim was to help a village which had recently seen its primary school close because of a lack of pupils. It was also hoped to replicate the winning design in other places.

Three finalists were chosen from the more than 100 entries from across the world, and were given an honorarium of £4,000 to work up their ideas.

In August, 2019, judges including designer Wayne Hemingway, as well as council officers, and landowners, chose a design by London-based McMullan Studios. Its‘Flexstead’ design was praised because of its appeal to younger people, its use for both living and working, and its affordability.

Planning permission for five market houses, four affordable houses, and a barn conversion, incorporating the winning design, was swiftly given by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority in November, 2019.

But now, three years later, the homes are yet to be built and the project is likely to be placed in the hands of the new North Yorkshire Council.

Councillor Richard Foster, leader of Craven District Council, and chair of the council's Policy Committee, said the project was not likely to be completed before the council was replaced by the new single authority in April next year.

He said: “Implementation of the RIBA award winning housing development at Horton-in-Ribblesdale over the last two years has been slower than anticipated due to a number of cost factors including the cost of the site, the novel design, construction industry inflation and also difficulties in accessing funding during the pandemic.

"The council remains committed to providing good quality affordable rural housing we will continue to pursue such schemes.

"It is likely that the delivery of the scheme will be carried out by the new authority.’