MORE than 150 affordable homes are to be built on 22 sites in North Yorkshire as part of a multi-million pound project.

Housing minister Keith Hill has given North Yorkshire County Council the go-ahead to use money raised by cutting the council tax discount on second homes for the scheme.

In Hambleton, more than £500,000 will be spent to part-fund 22 houses, all for rent, in Northallerton, Thirsk, Easingwold and Topcliffe.

In Richmondshire, the county council has agreed to support four schemes, two in Richmond, one in Bainbridge and one in Reeth to provide 27 homes.

Three schemes in Pickering, Norton and Helmsley will have £740,000 invested by the county council to provide 32 new homes for rent.

In the Harrogate district, ten schemes have been agreed at a cost of £880,000. The largest of these, at Ripon House, Ripon, will provide 25 new homes for a mix of rent and discounted purchase.

Keith Hill said: "I welcome North Yorkshire County Council's pioneering initiative in developing this affordable housing programme using the powers we have given local authorities to reduce the second homes discount on council tax."

Council leader John Weighell said: "This is excellent news. The lack of affordable housing is a growing problem in many communities across North Yorkshire, especially for those on lower incomes.

"With this green light from the Government, we and our partners can move ahead on the schemes that we have already agreed as part of the first phase of the programme.

"We are looking forward to the second phase, later this year."