Andy and Val Young outside their home with, from left to right, Tom Hawley (Homes England), Fiona Harrison (South Lakes Housing), Claire Townson (Broadacres), Helen Simpson (Broadacres) and Andrew Murday (Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority).

A Cumbrian man who has moved into a home on a new award-winning affordable housing development so he can be closer to his family has described it as “life-changing”.

Andy Young is one of many local people who have benefited from the completion of a 49-home affordable housing development in Sedbergh by Broadacres.

He thought his dream of returning to his childhood county had gone after the sale of house he and his wife Val had hoped to buy fell through at the last minute.

The couple, who had already sold their house in Devon ready for the move back north, thought they would have to move into private rented accommodation until they learned about the homes being built by Broadacres on Station Road.

Now, they have bought one of the shared ownership properties and Andy’s garden looks out onto The Howgills Fells in the Yorkshire Dales National Park where he used to spend a lot of his time when he was young.

Andy and Val recently welcomed partners involved in the scheme to his home to mark the completion of the development and the start of Rural Housing Week (7th to 11th July).

 “I had family in Sedbergh and spent a lot of time here growing up walking on the hills, fishing and shooting, and so when I look out onto them again now, I see home,” Andy says.

“I was heartbroken when the house sale fell through because I was desperate to move back to Cumbria to be closer to my two children and grandchildren and Sedbergh is perfect as it is equal distance between them.

“I never really knew anything about housing associations and when I saw the houses Broadacres had built, I thought they would all be for rent, but we didn’t hesitate when we realised we could buy a home.

“It’s much larger than our previous home and the build quality is exceptional. It’s exceeded all my expectations and really has changed my life.”

Of the 49 homes built, 34 have been allocated for social rent and shared ownership, with people in Sedbergh and the surrounding communities given first refusal on these properties. The affordable homes are being managed on Broadacres’ behalf by South Lakes Housing.

The other 15 homes have been bought via open market sale. Every home is heated via a renewable energy Air Source Heat Pump.

The scheme cost £12 million, which included a grant of £1.64 million from Homes England towards the affordable homes, and in May it won the best affordable housing development in the 2025 Northern Housing Awards.

Broadacres, working with its contractor Equans, has built a mixture of two and three-bedroom houses and two-bedroom bungalows, as well as three four-bedroom and one five-bedroom home.

Helen Simpson, Broadacres’ Chair, said: “Helen Simpson, Broadacres’ Chair, said: “From the moment we first unveiled our plans for this development we’ve had lots of interest from local people keen to be considered for one of the homes.

“The mix of properties were designed to appeal to a cross-section of the community, from young people seeking to get on the property ladder for the first time to older people needing a home on one level due to their changing needs.

“It is therefore great to see people like Andy who have been able to return home due a change in personal circumstances because ultimately our customers are at the heart of everything we do.

“Broadacres is committed to making rural communities sustainable for current and future generations and working with our partners, we are delighted to have completed this very important development and to celebrate Rural Housing Week.”

Member Champion for Development Management at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Andrew Murday, said: “Rawthey Gardens is good development. The Sedbergh community wanted to see housing growth, because people could see services under threat and a shortage of homes for local workers.  I would like to thank Broadacres, as well as Sedbergh Parish Council and the Sedbergh Economic Partnership, and also Westmorland and Furness Council and its predecessor body South Lakes District Council for all pulling in the same direction and making it happen.”

Tom Hawley, from Homes England, said: “This scheme is another great example of the government’s Affordable Homes Programme enabling high-quality, affordable homes for rent and shared ownership with grant funding from Homes England. C

“Congratulations to the Broadacres team on this well-earned award. The homes have been built to a high standard and are set in a beautiful rural location, it’s clear why the judges were impressed. A strong partnership delivering award winning results.”

Niki Stockton, Director of Customer Experience at South Lakes Housing said: “We’re proud to have supported Broadacres in delivering these much-needed affordable homes in Sedbergh.  It’s been a privilege to help local people like Andy find a place they can truly call home.  Developments like this are vital to sustaining rural communities, and we’re committed to continuing this work in partnership with others.”

For more information on Rural Housing Week visit – www.housing.org.uk/our-work/rural-housing/rural-housing-week/