A new scheme to provide more rural housing for homeless people living in remote areas has won local authority backing.

Councillors in Hambleton have given the go-ahead to a £200,000 grant towards a £1.09m by the Home Housing Association.

It will eventually see ten houses in rural locations bought, refurbished and then rented out by the association.

The district council sold its entire housing stock to the Northallerton-based Broadacres Housing Association in 1993 - but under the deal receives a percentage of any sales.

And this year that claw-back scheme is seeing £1m diverted back into affordable housing.

"We have a strategy to provide more affordable housing and reduce the amount of time homeless people have to spend in unsuitable temporary accommodation," said the cabinet member for housing, David Blades.

"By using this claw-back cash and working with housing associations we hope to be able to make inroads into this policy and therefore improve people's quality of life."

The Home Housing Association scheme is part of a £1.19 million package being financed by the local authority.

Councillors have already given approval in principle to schemes by Broadacres to provide new homes in Thirsk, Northallerton and Easingwold and it is hoped the detailed schemes will be given final approval next month.

And Thirsk's former hostel for the homeless is currently being converted into five one bedroom flats.

"In previous years we have struggled to deliver an increase in the supply of affordable rural units," Coun Blades added.

"The Home Housing scheme will help us do this - by delivering ten affordable units for rent in a very cost effective way."

Home Housing looks to purchase rural properties off the open market - especially long term empty homes. It then repairs and improves them before letting them on affordable rent and has already delivered 10 units in this way over the last two years.

The new scheme has already been allocated £890,000 by the Government-funded Housing Corporation. Ends.