A DEVELOPMENT of affordable homes has been opened in the Yorkshire Dales.

Askrigg Councillor Yvonne Peacock performed the honours and said the six homes were the result of a lot of hard work by the parish and district councils, national park authority and Broadacres Housing Association.

The development is one of several designed to enable local people to rent homes at an affordable price.

"We lobbied hard to secure Housing Corporation funding for the development," said Coun Peacock.

"We have worked closely with Askrigg Parish Council. They quickly identified a suitable site, following a housing needs survey that 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, and into these lovely new homes."

Broadacres is working with Richmondshire District Council and local communities to develop more affordable housing in the area.

Broadacres chairman, the Reverend Brian Mayne, said: "This development is a fantastic example of what can be achieved by working in partnership to tackle a problem facing a lot of local people."