A HOUSING developer could be asked for cash to help buy affordable houses for young families in Cowling.

And money could also be handed over to give the village playgrounds a facelift.

The cash is to be secured in a deal struck by Craven planners as part of permission to build homes on the site of the Walter C Brigg Vauxhall garage on Keighley Road.

Under housing regulations, developers must provide a proportion of homes on each new site at a knock-down price.

But these so-called "affordable" houses are sometimes out of the price range of the first-time buyers they were meant to help.

New Government rules say councils can ask for a sum of money instead, which will be used to buy terraced homes to be rented out at low cost.

This idea has already been tried successfully in Sutton, with developers Barratt handing over cash which is then matched by a housing association.

The Walter C Brigg Vauxhall dealership has announced plans to relocate and is seeking permission to demolish its garage and replace it with 25 homes.

When Craven planners met on Monday they heard that there were 15 families waiting for two-bedroom homes in Cowling and a further 12 for three bedroom houses.

Cowling Parish Council chairman and Craven ward member John Alderson supported the plan, but said: "It was a great shock to the village to find that our garage was moving elsewhere.

"Unfortunately times have to change and this leaves a gap in the village."

Craven's planning and development manager Sian Watson told members that securing a sum of money for affordable homes would ensure needy families were helped.

Money could also be set aside to refurbish existing play areas in Cowling, rather than provide a small area on the new housing site.

However, Coun Richard Welch said he was unhappy about striking such a deal with the developers, branding it "horse trading".

"If the houses are going to be in the same village then that's fine - but I don't like the idea of buying out of it," he said.

"It gives the wrong impression to people and doesn't paint the council in a good light."

But Mrs Watson pointed out that Government rules allowed the "bargaining".

"It's not a sell-out. It's an alternative that the Government says is a legitimate way for affordable houses to be provided in the district," she said.

Councillors voted to allow the housing development.

Walter C Brigg is now negotiating to set up at the new Crossing Business Park, Cross Hills, about four miles away from the present base.

The company was recently praised by car giant Vauxhall for having the best customer relationship in the country.