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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/nov/15/hawkshead-langdale-lake-district-affordable-homes-william-wordsworth
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| Fresh life for old reading room means new and affordable Lake District homes | Fresh life for old reading room means new and affordable Lake District homes |
| (5 months later) | |
| The men and women who built the old community reading room in Outgate near Hawkshead where William Wordsworth went to school would be pleased to see its latest incarnation. | The men and women who built the old community reading room in Outgate near Hawkshead where William Wordsworth went to school would be pleased to see its latest incarnation. |
| After a thorough-going conversion, the Edwardian building now serves a different community purpose, as low cost housing for local people. | After a thorough-going conversion, the Edwardian building now serves a different community purpose, as low cost housing for local people. |
| The lack of this is a recurrent problem in the UK's national parks, as previous Northerner posts have repeatedly shown. Much is down to organisations such as the Lakeland Housing Trust whose history, now in its 75th year, is not so very far behind the reading room's. Outgate saw it opened in 1906. | The lack of this is a recurrent problem in the UK's national parks, as previous Northerner posts have repeatedly shown. Much is down to organisations such as the Lakeland Housing Trust whose history, now in its 75th year, is not so very far behind the reading room's. Outgate saw it opened in 1906. |
| From this week, it is home for two young couple whose families have lived in the Lake District for generations but who were despairing of being able to continue the tradition. Lucy Wilson is a teaching assistant at Hawkshead primary school and she and her partner Daniel Nevinson had been living with their parents. She says: | From this week, it is home for two young couple whose families have lived in the Lake District for generations but who were despairing of being able to continue the tradition. Lucy Wilson is a teaching assistant at Hawkshead primary school and she and her partner Daniel Nevinson had been living with their parents. She says: |
| We had been trying unsuccessfully for several years to find somewhere to rent. Now, we can finally focus on our future. | We had been trying unsuccessfully for several years to find somewhere to rent. Now, we can finally focus on our future. |
Shaun Taylforth, meanwhile, who has moved in with his partner Sarah Beaty, had been commuting twice a day by tractor from Langdale to his farming work in Outgate. The 25-year-old says: | Shaun Taylforth, meanwhile, who has moved in with his partner Sarah Beaty, had been commuting twice a day by tractor from Langdale to his farming work in Outgate. The 25-year-old says: |
| It was a 16 mile round-trip, now my journey is less than a mile. The trust has given Sarah and me our only chance of a wonderful home together near our work. | It was a 16 mile round-trip, now my journey is less than a mile. The trust has given Sarah and me our only chance of a wonderful home together near our work. |
Both couples are involved with a range of local organisations and Lakeland's chair Charles Flanagan said: | Both couples are involved with a range of local organisations and Lakeland's chair Charles Flanagan said: |
| We are delighted that such public-spirited young people can now live and work here. I know they will be a huge asset to the village. | We are delighted that such public-spirited young people can now live and work here. I know they will be a huge asset to the village. |
There is still much to do. The housing trust now provides 30 homes but the Lake District national park authority has details of 832 households seeking affordable homes, 28 of them around Hawkshead. The conversion cost £320,000, made possible by financial help from South Lakeland district council and support from the national park. | There is still much to do. The housing trust now provides 30 homes but the Lake District national park authority has details of 832 households seeking affordable homes, 28 of them around Hawkshead. The conversion cost £320,000, made possible by financial help from South Lakeland district council and support from the national park. |
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