THE first residents have moved in to the latest affordable housing development in Richmondshire.

Tilly Hindle and Craig Smith were presented with the keys to their new home and a bottle of champagne by district councillor Yvonne Peacock.

Six homes in Askrigg, built by the Broadacres Housing Association, have been designed for families with local connections.

It is one of several schemes designed to enable people from the area to rent homes at affordable prices.

Miss Hindle, who was born in Askrigg, said: "Rents are so high within the National Park that we found it virtually impossible to afford to live here.

"I picked up an application pack from the local shop, filled it in and hoped for the best. This house is exactly what we need, I am absolutely delighted with it -and we can afford the rent."

Providing affordable housing for local people is one of the priorities of the local authority.

Further developments are under way in Colburn and Richmond, and funding has been secured for a site in Catterick Village.

Coun Peacock said: "We lobbied hard to secure the Housing Corporation funding necessary for the development to go ahead.

"We have worked very closely with Askrigg Parish Council on the scheme. They quickly identified a suitable site, following a housing needs survey, which highlighted a need for this kind of accommodation in this location.

"It is a much-needed development and I am very pleased that we are now seeing local families able to stay in the area or moving back."