Apprentices working on a major regeneration scheme cannot afford to live in York, an MP has said in a call for more affordable housing.
Rachael Maskell said the city needed to get the once-in-a-generation York Central scheme right as people cry out for affordable homes.
She added York could once again lead the way by committing to making at least 40 per cent of homes in the scheme affordable to residents.
The Labour MP for York Central’s comments come after Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Housing Secretary Steve Reed visited the site, off Leeman Road, on Thursday, June 4.
York Central is one of the UK’s largest brownfield redevelopments and is set to feature at least 2,500 homes, commercial and leisure spaces which could create up to 6,500 jobs.
A planning application for up to 1,000 of the homes, a hotel, shops, park, office space and new western entrance to York Station were lodged in December.
The prime minister and secretary of state met with apprentices at Sisk, one of the contractors working on York Central, during their visit on Thursday.
Sir Keir said none of the apprentices he spoke to had been able to afford to buy a home in the area of York where they were working.
He added talks on Thursday included increasing the proportion of affordable homes on the site from the current 20 per cent, a move backed by local politicians.
But Ms Maskell said the planning application lodged in December only pledged 200 affordable homes, about 20 per cent of those which would be built in that tranche of works.
She added York had historically led the way in social housing almost a century ago and now had an opportunity to do so again.
The MP told the prime minister: “Apprentices in York expressed to you what they have long told me, that they cannot afford to live in York due to the housing affordability crisis that affects my city worse than anywhere else in the North of England.
“York is a city that was at the heart of the social housing revolution, with the Rowntree’s studies of poverty and the living and working conditions of the people of York, as well as the building of the garden village at New Earswick, all paving the way towards the Housing Act 1919.
“For a site that is unlocked by a huge amount of public taxpayer funding, more than £155 million to date, I believe the benefits must be more clearly outlined by the Government through the funding of council housing on the site so that public land is used for public good.”
Developers York Central Ltd stated in the plans lodged in December the 20 per cent proportion was in line with policy requirements.
They added the nature of the development, which lent more towards apartments, had limited the different types of homes they could build.
Plans stated: “We have focused on ensuring that we have provided a variety of affordable housing types and sizes to meet the demonstrated housing needs, we have pepper-potted those throughout Phase 1C.
“All residential properties across Phase 1C have been designed tenure blind to the high standards of quality of design and sustainability, enjoying equal access to all public infrastructure.
“Making sure the place we create is thriving in the future is important to us.”
