We’re backing the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership’s new Affordable Homes Standard - a big step towards making sure every affordable home in the region is built to a consistently high standard.
The Standard sets out what good affordable housing should look like - homes that are well-designed, energy-efficient, and built to last. The result is affordable homes that are just as good as anything else on the market - helping to create places people are proud to call home.
Our CEO, Nick Atkin, who also chairs the Partnership, explains: "This new Standard is a big step forward in making sure affordable housing across our region is built to a consistently high standard. It’s about creating homes that people can be proud of, well designed, energy efficient, and built to meet the needs of local communities now and in the future.
"By working together across the region, we’re setting a clear shared benchmark for what good affordable housing will look like in York and North Yorkshire."
All 23 members of the Partnership - including us - have committed to only building or acquiring homes that meet this new Standard. It’s also been fully backed by York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith, as well as North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council.
Mayor Skaith said: “We need to deliver the right homes in the right places, ensuring our next generation can stay and thrive in York and North Yorkshire.
"That ambition takes a big step forward today with the launch of the Affordable Homes Standard.
"This sets a consistent, high-quality benchmark as we play our part and deliver on the national target of building 1.5 million homes.
"It means that we build more energy efficient homes with a better quality of design, built with nature in mind. That’s good news for our environment and for residents, who will benefit from lower energy bills.
"This underpins our commitment to create and support thriving communities and I look forward to working closely with the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership on delivering the homes we deserve and need."
The Standard sets out clear expectations around:
- Space and layout
- Energy efficiency and sustainability
- Design quality
- Flexibility for changing needs
- Creating space for nature and the environment
Want to read the Standard in full? Click the link.
Or find out more about our housing partnerships on our webpage.