Coastal housing development gets visit from housing chief

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) awarded £2.3m of grant support to the scheme at Mill Meadows, Filey, and its chairman, Robert Napier, visited the £45m scheme.

Of the 300 houses being built, sixty will be delivered for affordable rent and sixty will be delivered for shared ownership sale - bringing much needed affordable housing to the area. The remaining 180 homes will be available for open market sale.

The development has caused some controversy with some locals raising fears about drainage on the site when the plans were discussed.

Mr Napier said yesterday: “Mill Meadows is exactly the kind of development we believe in and it was a great pleasure to see it progressing.

“The HCA provides investment for new affordable housing as well as to improve existing social housing and regenerating land.

“We’re delighted to be associated with Mill Meadows and see it as a fine example of what can be done when partners work together to address the needs of their different communities.”

Iain Sim, chief executive of developer Coast & Country said last night: “We were very happy to welcome Mr Napier to Mill Meadows and show him what we’re creating here.

“We have a wide range of house types and tenures which cater for a variety of customers; from first time buyers and families to older persons,” Mr Sim added.

A number of community facilities will be provided in the £45m development including a large area of open space which will incorporate a leisure trail and play areas.

Mill Meadows is being developed by Coast & Country’s sister company, Coast & Country Developments.

The need for social housing in the area was recently revealed, with claims that for each house that becomes available in the town 50 applications are made. In 2011 a report found an annual affordable housing need of 49 new properties per year in Filey and Hunmanby during the following five years.

Coast & Country is a not for profit local housing company.