A housing association’s development in Sedbergh has won a prestigious award.
Rawthey Meadows, a 49-home estate, was named Best Affordable Housing Development for projects costing between £5 million and £15 million in the 2025 Northern Housing Awards.
It was built by Broadacres, working with its development partner Equans.
It was mixture of two and three-bedroom houses and two-bedroom bungalows, three four-bedroom and one five-bedroom homes.
Of the 49 homes built, 34 have been allocated for affordable rent and shared ownership, with people in Sedbergh and the surrounding communities given first refusal on these properties.
The affordable homes are 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 judges noted the careful design for the surroundings and its intended residents and that it was a clear example of a partnership working together well to deliver the best outcome for people in need in the local area
James Marley, Broadacres head of construction, said: “We are delighted to have won the award for our development in Sedbergh, especially when we were competing with so many other great schemes.
“Building on this scale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park is rare and required careful planning to ensure the new homes were in keeping in this picturesque area of Cumbria.
“This meant the quality of materials needed to be extremely high, including the stonework, slate roofs, quarried stone windowsills and a particular style of render.
“We also included plenty of green space and looked at biodiversity on the site through tree planting, creation of wildflower grasslands and the insertion of hollow ‘bricks’ into the homes to create nest sites for swifts.”
