Decision

Since 2020, the council have been working with a group of parents whose young adults have learning disabilities. These parents have come together to form the ‘CosyHome’ project whose objective is to create a housing development where the young adults can move out of the family home and live as independently as possible with support. The group have worked with the council’s Community and Self Build Officer to find a suitable plot of land on which to develop this cohousing, as well as working with individuals from Integrated Commissioning and Adult Social Care.
In October 2021, the Council Executive noted the progress made on bringing forward a proposal for a Community Led Housing project on the former Tang Hall Library site, and approval was given to dispose of the site on a long lease to enable the delivery of community housing subject to a deliverable business case.
The community group are now working with a developer, Kendall House Properties, and an RP, YMCA North Tyneside, to build a new supported living development to house young adults from the community group. To ensure the development is viable there will also be additional apartments which the council can have nominations rights for.
The developer has made an offer for the land that meets the RICS certified valuation and the Heads of Terms for the sale have been developed, subject to final sign off by the council.
The project has been developed over a number of years by families seeking a sustainable, long-term housing solution as parents / carers grow older and less able to care for their loved ones, the homes are designed to promote independence, wellbeing and support for young adults. The creation of this bespoke cohousing community seeks to meet the specific needs of the CosyHome young adults.
In addition to seeking to meet the needs of members of the cohousing group, the development will also deliver a small number of additional homes for other individuals in housing need, increasing the supply of specialist supported accommodation within the local authority area, mitigating the likelihood that those in need of supported housing would need to move outside of the York area.
The proposal supports the Council's objectives to increase the provision of specialist housing, promoting independent living in individual flats (rather than shared housing), and seeks to deliver positive social outcomes for residents.
The land deal has been structured in such a way to enable the development to go ahead while still allowing the land to be sold at market value.