Four new council houses are to be built in the coastal village of Embleton by Northumberland County Council, providing affordable homes to rent for local people. 

 

Planning permission has now been granted to build the housing which will comprise 2, two-bedroom level access bungalows and 2, two-bedroom houses. 

 

Northumberland County Council, working with a range of partners, has made major progress in helping to create more quality affordable homes for rent and affordable home ownership, across the county in areas it is needed most. 

 

Between 2017 and the end of 2025, 3,302 affordable homes to rent or buy are projected to complete in communities right across Northumberland with 2337 properties expected to be delivered by the end of March 2025 and a further 965 with planning permission. 

 

The new properties in Embleton will be built on the Greyfield site where two old Swedish timber houses have been demolished.  

 

They will be rented out to those on the Northumberland Homefinder waiting list using the rural allocation policy where preference is given to those who have worked or lived in the parish or the adjoining parish. 

 

Local ward councillor Wendy Pattison said:  
 
“We are proactively tackling the need for affordable housing right across the county where there is an identified need. 

 

“It’s great news that work will soon start on this redundant site and very soon Embleton will have some new quality, energy efficient, affordable housing.” 

 

Northumberland County Councillor Colin Horncastle, cabinet member with responsibility for housing added:  

 

“The provision of more affordable housing, in areas of need, continues to be one of the county council's top priorities and the council is investing millions to address the issue. Our aims is always to work with local communities to provide the right house, in the right place at the right price.” 

 

“This is a great scheme that will benefit both the young and the old and first priority for these homes will be given to local people in housing need who have a close connection to Embleton or its surrounding area.” 

 

The properties will be built on a brownfield site using materials in keeping with the local area and incorporating a number of energy-efficient features to help keep residents’ energy bills as low as possible. 

 

Northumberland County Council is using a range of approaches to provide more affordable housing in areas of clear identified housing need. This includes working to identify potential development sites, working with housing developers and other housing providers to deliver affordable housing through S106 agreements in the planning process and facilitating community led schemes. 

 

It has also put policies in place through the planning system to restrict the use of newly built homes as second and holiday homes. 

 

Anyone interested in renting one of these properties will need to join Northumberland Homefinder – http://www.northumberlandhomefinder.org.uk to apply.  Once the properties are built, they will be added to the Homefinder register.