A mum who cares for her autistic daughter and a family who outgrew their previous home are among those whose have moved into a new eco-friendly, affordable housing scheme on the outskirts of Thirsk.

Broadacres, working with developing partner EQUANS, is building 97 new homes at Sowerby Gateway, with the keys to the first properties now having been handed over.

All 97 homes are affordable, energy efficient and are heated using Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) technology, making this the first time we have used renewable energy on a scheme where a gas connection is available.

One of the first to move in was Katie Benson and her eight-year-old daughter Aubree.

Katie lived a large part of her life in Sowerby and after giving up her job as a nurse to be the full-time carer for Aubree, moved back to the village, living in a privately rented, two-bedroom cottage.

She says: “The cottage was damp, had no garden and was not suitable for Aubree’s needs, so when I learned about the new homes Broadacres were building, I applied for one and when I found out we had been successful I broke down in tears of happiness.

“Our new home is also two-bedroom, but it is much bigger, and this is the first time Aubree has ever had her own garden to play in, which is amazing.

“We couldn’t ask for anymore as we now finally have a place we can truly call home!”

Also moving in recently were Kerri and Jamie Williams their three young boys Jackson, Bodhi and Ralph.

The family were living in a two-bedroom home in Sowerby, but it became too small and now they have been able to move into a much larger three-bedroom home around the corner, meaning no disruption to Kerri, who works as a Conveyancing Assistant in Thirsk; Jamie, who is manager of the local Co-op store, and their three boys who all attend Keeble Gateway Academy School in Sowerby.

Jamie said: “We had outgrown the previous house and had been on the waiting list for a larger one, so we couldn’t have been happier when we were offered one which is literally around the corner.

“When we first went into the house it felt so warm that I thought the heat pump was already heating the house and I was told it wasn’t. That demonstrates how generally energy efficient the house is and we’re hopeful that even when it does turn colder outside, we’ll still save money having a heat pump to warm the home.”

In total, when the development is fully completed in summer 2023, there will be 59 homes for affordable rent and 38 for shared ownership, the latter providing people with a local connection to the area with the opportunity to get a foot on the property ladder.

There is also a mixture of homes to benefit a cross section of people, including one-bedroom flats, two-bedroom bungalows, family homes and adapted bungalows for people with disabilities.

Helen Fielding, Broadacres’ Director of Development and Investment, said: “We’re delighted to see people like Katie, Kerrie and Jamie settling in so well with their families.

“They are a perfect example of how we are striving to keep our rural communities sustainable for future generations.

“This scheme is also the blueprint for all future developments at Broadacres, with renewable energy heating systems being fitted as standard in all our new homes, alongside a retrofit programme on our existing, older properties.”

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