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Council plans £18million expansion of temporary housing

Tuesday, 8 September 2026 08:12

An aerial shot of Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Council is proposing to invest £18 million in providing more temporary homes for people facing homelessness.

The authority wants to deliver 112 properties across the county - almost 25 per cent more than the 90 originally planned.

The expansion follows increased demand for temporary accommodation, particularly one-bedroom homes for single people and couples.

North Yorkshire currently has access to 191 purpose-built and converted temporary accommodation units, although provision is unevenly distributed across the county.

The council has already delivered 20 additional homes, with another 40 properties undergoing improvement work before being brought into use.

Officials say increasing the number of council-owned properties would reduce the use of hotels and bed and breakfasts and could save up to £2.7 million annually.

Spending on temporary accommodation increased from just over £500,000 in 2019/20 to more than £2.1 million in 2022/23.

Cllr Simon Myers, the council’s executive member for housing, said:

“Everyone deserves access to safe, secure and suitable accommodation when they are facing difficult circumstances.

“The demand for homelessness support and temporary accommodation has increased significantly in recent years, and we are seeing a growing need for smaller one-bedroom homes.

“By increasing our delivery programme, we can provide more people with appropriate accommodation as part of a long-term solution, while continuing our commitment to preventing homelessness and rough sleeping.”

The proposals will be considered by members of the council’s executive on Tuesday 15th September.

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