A housing project that aimed to deliver affordable solutions for local people in a Babergh village has been completed - and an official opening ceremony is planned.
Villagers in Cockfield, near Lavenham, were concerned about the limited supply of homes in the right price range and faced having to move to find somewhere to live.
Now thanks to partnership working between Cockfield Parish Council, Babergh District Council and Orwell Housing Association, the first phase of the village’s Local Needs Affordable Housing Project at Green Lane has been completed.
Six new homes, which are affordable rent properties, have now been occupied for just over a month and an official ceremony is planned for June 15.
The homes were developed using a Social Housing Grant and priority is given to people with a local connection to Cockfield.
The project was kick-started after the Parish approached Babergh and, following joint working with Orwell and the completion of a local housing needs survey, with assistance from the Rural Housing Enabler from Suffolk ACRE, the scheme was born.
Results of the survey identified a very high level of need for affordable homes for people living or working in the village, or wishing to return to live in the village.
Land used at Green Lane was donated by Babergh and consists of two sites in a residential area near Great Green, in Cockfield.
The homes provided are two, one-bedroom bungalows - these are of a flexible design and can accommodate a further bedroom in the roof should this be required in the future - two, two-bedroom houses and two, three-bedroom houses.
Ian Tippett, Babergh’s Housing Services Team Manager, said: “Babergh is putting a high priority on delivering affordable housing in the district and we are delighted with the new development at Green Lane.
“We know that local people and our local communities need and want these developments – and that is vitally important to us.
“We would love parish councils with similar problems and who feel they have identified a need for low-cost housing in their area to approach us and we can work on proposals to help.”
The Parish Council are continuing to work with Orwell Housing Association on further sites in other locations in the village, with work on a further five properties due to start in the coming weeks and a planning decision on another six houses due shortly.
Stephen Javes, Chief Executive of Orwell Housing Association, said: “The completion of the new homes at Green Lane, Cockfield, is the first of a number of affordable housing sites that the Association is working to deliver for the village of Cockfield.
“We are very pleased to be able to assist the village to provide the much-needed homes and to contribute towards the sustainability of this thriving, rural community.
“With the donation of land from Babergh District Council and its commitment to increasing the provision of affordable housing in the district, the result is an example of good quality homes for everyone to be proud of.”
The ceremony, for invited parties, is taking place from 4pm until 6pm. Representatives from the partnership will be on hand to see first-hand what the development has to offer. ENDS
More information about affordable housing.
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