Endeavour's Latest Rural Housing Development Officially Opened

Published by Esme Trelease for Endeavour Housing Association in Housing and also in Communities

Endeavour Housing Association’s latest development of six family homes in the picture postcard village of Swainby near Northallerton has been officially opened by Lord Crathorne.

The scheme, which was developed in partnership with Hambleton District Council, has gone some way to alleviating the housing need that has become more and more prevalent in the area in recent years. All of the new residents have a strong local connection to the area, and their new homes enable them to live in Swainby when this might not have been otherwise possible.

The scheme, which is situated in the beautiful North Yorkshire National Park, comprises of six spacious semi-detached, two and three bedroom homes. Endeavour worked closely with the National Park Authority to ensure that the development complimented its surroundings and met planning requirements.

More than looking beautiful, the red-brick houses provide excellent standards of space for new residents, as well as good sized gardens and ample parking. They are constructed to the highest standard, using cutting edge building methods including ‘thin joint’ block work, which allows speedy construction whilst ensuring minimum heat loss. Coupled with a wide range of eco-features including high levels of insulation, solar panels and a ventilation system with heat recovery, residents will be able to enjoy warm homes and vastly reduced heating bills. Given that Swainby is not serviced by a mains gas supply and is reliant on electricity, these energy efficient measures are very important.

The £900,000 development has been well received in the village, and the official opening of the scheme was attended by tenants, villagers, and local Councillors, as well as representatives from Hambleton District Council and North Yorkshire Moors Planning Department.

Lord Crathorne, who opened the scheme, said, “Black Horse Lane represents a real step forward in the provision of housing in rural Hambleton, and I was very pleased to be give the opportunity to officially open the development.”

Angela Lockwood, Chief Executive of North Star Housing Group, Endeavour’s parent company, explains why this is such an important development.

“There is a definite shortage of affordable housing for local people in rural areas like Swainby. The consequences of this are often severe, with families and young people who would dearly love to remain in the areas in which they were raised, forced to seek more affordable housing elsewhere.

At Endeavour, we are passionate about supporting rural communities to thrive and grow, and with the development at Swainby, we feel that we are taking positive steps to do just that.”

Councillor Mark Robson, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning at Hambleton District Council said the scheme represents an important step forward for rural housing in the district. “I am delighted to see the scheme open, it is a great example of how by working together with our partners, Hambleton is providing local homes for local people in our rural areas,” he said.

The opening of Blackhorse Lane coincides with Rural Housing Week, which aims to raise awareness of the lack of affordable homes in rural areas.