Call made for council to buy derelict workhouse

NORTHUMBERLAND County Council's housing boss has dismissed calls to purchase a prominent site in Hexham and turn it into affordable housing. Coun Colin Horncastle said the calls from Hexham Community-Led Housing to snap up the former Workhouse on the Corbridge Road were a "nonstarter".

- JAMES ROBINSON

The "dilapidated" site, which dates back to 1839, was put on the market in June with an asking price of more than £800,000. Previous plans to turn the property into housing have failed to come to fruition.

Hexham Community-Led Housing (HCLH), a not for profit group which grew out of work to create the Hexham Neighbourhood plan, says the town is facing a "housing crisis" in terms of affordable homes. The group said the county council should buy up the site to provide cheap homes for those in need.

A spokesman for the group said: "We greatly appreciate the support given by Hexham Civic Society, Historic England, Hexham Town Council and Hexham MP, Joe Morris. They are all urging the local authority, Northumberland County Council, to use their powers to intervene.