New rural homes officially open in Walesby
New affordable homes, with great countryside views have been officially opened on Haughton Way in Walesby.
The new scheme of 19 homes is providing affordable housing for both rent and shared ownership. The new homes are a mix of two-bedroom bungalows and two and three-bedroom homes. They are low carbon homes full of energy saving features. They are fitted with solar panels, and car charging points to help reduce carbon emissions and cut energy costs.
At the opening event we had visitors from Newark and Sherwood District Council and RG Carter Construction. We were also joined by some of the new residents for a tour of the finished site.
The land for the new homes on the edge of the Walesby, is termed a ‘rural exception site’, allowing the building affordable homes with the sole purpose of addressing local housing need. The rapid rise of house prices in rural areas can make home ownership impossible for some, and that’s why schemes such as this are an important option. Developments such as this offer affordable accommodation for local people who might otherwise have been priced out of the area.
Allan Fisher, Director of Development comments: “These new homes are part of our commitment to deliver quality affordable homes that people will be proud to live in. We are delighted that these energy efficient homes have been awarded with an EPC A rating.”
Nearly all residents have been handed keys to their homes and a new community is beginning to take shape. The rented homes have been allocated through Newark and Sherwood’s Choice Based Lettings Scheme. We manage over 2,000 affordable homes in Newark in the area.
Designed and developed by our in-house team Pelham, and built by contractors RG Carter Construction, the development cost in the region of £3.6 million and was joint funded by Homes England and NCHA. We are in a Strategic Partnership with Homes England, enabling them to deliver new, affordable homes across the East Midlands and East of England.
Rowan Cozens, Deputy Leader, Newark and Sherwood District Council says; “I am delighted to have the opportunity to shine a spotlight on phase two of the affordable rural exception scheme at Haughton Way. The lack of affordable housing is a growing problem in many rural communities and these schemes help to keep small communities in the countryside alive by enabling young and old alike to remain in villages where they have family connections.
“It is testament to the strong partnership between NCHA, Newark and Sherwood District Council and Midlands Rural Housing that the scheme has been developed for people who need them the most. We will continue to work with partners to ensure a supply of affordable housing for rent and purchase are available for local people in the future.”
Tim Owen, Senior Project Manager at R G Carter says; “We were delighted to continue our partnership with NCHA to deliver much-needed housing for the community. It has been wonderful to see these affordable homes in Walesby now handed over for the benefit of local people, and we hope the residents enjoy their new homes, for many years to come.”