Northumberland County Council is set to invest £1.3 million to build four new affordable homes in the coastal village of Embleton, addressing a chronic shortage of affordable housing in rural areas. The properties will be made available for rent at well below market rates.
Location and Need
Embleton sits on a prime position on the Northumberland coast, just a stone's throw from the iconic Dunstanburgh Castle. Average house prices in the village are above the county average, making it difficult for local residents to find affordable housing. A report presented to the council's cabinet revealed a need for 30 additional affordable housing units in Embleton by 2036.
Scheme Details
Planning permission for the scheme was secured last year. The council will build two two-bedroom homes and two two-bedroom bungalows on the village's Greyfield Estate. The affordable weekly rent is set at £154.29, lower than the 80% market rent of £176.32 a week, to ensure affordability for council tenants.
Financial Justification
While the cost for four houses seems high, members of the council's cabinet insisted it was the right move. Speaking at a meeting on Tuesday, portfolio holder for housing Coun Colin Horncastle explained: "I'm absolutely delighted to present this to the cabinet. This is affordable housing in rural areas - it doesn't get much better than that. These will be high standard, energy efficient homes. It does seem quite expensive, but you have got to remember that building in these areas is difficult."
Horncastle added: "You haven't got large developments where we can ask for affordable homes, so they're out on their own. We have a third of the money coming from developer contributions in the form of Section 106 money. It's not very often we get these schemes, but I thoroughly support this scheme. There's a massive demand for it."
Community Impact
The scheme is forecast to deliver a positive return on the council's investment of £52,000 over a 60-year period. Between 2022 and 2026, only eight properties were advertised by Homefinder in the area, and each received an average of 53 bids. Horncastle noted: "What it does is it keeps people in these areas, in their communities, rather than having to move to larger towns. There really is a need in this very charming village. We intend to bid for more money to extend the affordable housing in these rural areas."
