A national park in Yorkshire is encouraging developers to build new homes on their land in an attempt to tackle a housing shortage in the Dales.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) last Friday emailed developers and housing associations to publicise their flexible local plan which sets a target of getting 55 new homes built in the national park each year.  

Last year, 39 homes were built.

‘We want to nudge builders into action,’ said YDNPA chairman, Carl Lis. 

‘New build housing is now permitted in more towns and villages across the National Park than ever before. We have put together a long list of sites that have the benefit of an existing planning permission or housing allocation.  

‘Our message is simple: if you bring forward high quality schemes for these sites, we will approve them.’

The local plan, which was adopted last December, is a response to the lack of affordable housing in the Dales.

Since it was adopted proposals have been approved for 79 new homes.

Mr Lis said: ’Policies now permit more open market housing than before, making it more financially viable for developers to build the affordable and local occupancy homes that are so badly needed by local communities.

‘Affordable and local occupancy housing is also subject to more flexible criteria. The Authority will negotiate on the mix of housing provided on development sites.’