THE Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is contacting landowners, developers, builders, planning agents and housing associations to urge them to consider building new homes in the park.

In an email, the YDNPA stresses that its planning policies have recently changed, with one of the main aims being to increase housing supply.

The new, more flexible Yorkshire Dales National Park Local Plan sets a target of getting 55 new homes built in the national park each year. Last year 39 homes were built.

A lack of affordable housing is thought to be one reason why Dales communities may find it harder to keep and attract young people and families.

"We want to nudge builders into action,” said YDNPA chairman Carl Lis.

"New-build housing is now permitted in more towns and villages across the national park than ever before.

"We have put together a long list of sites that have the benefit of an existing planning permission or housing allocation. Our message is simple: if you bring forward high-quality schemes for these sites, we will approve them."

The YDNPA adopted the Local Plan last December. Since then proposals have been approved for 79 new homes, with new policies on converting roadside barns and other buildings to local occupancy dwellings accounting for 50 of these permissions.

Cllr Lis said there were other changes that builders would find attractive. "Policies now permit more open-market housing than before, making it more financially viable for developers to build the affordable and local occupancy homes that are so badly needed by local communities.

"Affordable and local occupancy housing is also subject to more flexible criteria. The authority will negotiate on the mix of housing provided on development sites."

A guide to the new policies can be seen at www.yorkshiredales.org.uk. The local plan does not cover those parts of Eden District, South Lakeland or Lancaster designated as part of the extended national park from August 2016.