Housing group ready to open affordable accommodation

The development at Menston Hall, near Ilkley, includes 17 apartments released through shared ownership and five let exclusively to people older than 55.

The homes are located in two sandstone-finished buildings beside the main hall.

Bradford housing group Incommunities is behind the scheme of 30 two-bedroom apartments and designated car parking.

The main hall has been converted into six apartments for outright sale and two for sale through the Government’s HomeBuy Direct scheme.

Incommunities group chief executive Geraldine Howley said: “This major investment will provide much needed affordable homes for local people within an attractive village location. The choice of different tenure has proved very popular to home hunters from those wanting to get on the property ladder through our shared ownership scheme to older people looking for a new rented home.”

The Menston Hall development has been supported by a £700,000 grant from the Homes and Communities Agency’s Kickstart programme.

Derek Long from the National Housing Federation said: “The Menston Hall scheme is particularly welcome as affordability in semi-rural areas is a real issue for local people.”

In 2009, Incommunities opened The Lawn development in nearby Burley-in-Wharfedale. That has 29 homes for shared ownership and rent. The group also says it has built 401 affordable homes across the Bradford district.