Seven new homes will soon be giving local families in Lavenham access to much-needed affordable housing – thanks to some strong, partnership working.
And to mark the start of this project – Babergh District Council along with Lavenham Parish Council and developer Hastoe Housing Association - will be holding a turf-turning ceremony on Friday 24 July 2009
Cllr Jennie Jenkins, Babergh’s Chairman, will be taking over the controls of a digger and turning the first patch of ground on this long-awaited development.
A mix of seven, two and three bedroom homes will be built on land at Brent Eleigh Road and will be specifically earmarked for local people - or for families with a strong local connection to the village.
Ian Tippett, Strategic Housing Manager, said: “Babergh is delighted with this new development and the strong partnership working between ourselves, the Parish Council, and Hastoe Housing Association.
“In fact, the Parish Council has now asked Babergh and Hastoe to work with them to bring forward another scheme for the village, so we are now looking for another site. This is testament to all the hard work that has been put in on all sides.
“Our villages and communities are the lifeblood of our district and only by ensuring that everyone can access good quality homes can we ensure their future and sustainability.
“These homes have been designed specifically to fit in with their surroundings – in this case one of the district’s flagship tourist hotspots. All traditional stereotypes about social housing being of poor quality and ill-designed just do not stack up here.
“Babergh aims to bring the best quality affordable homes to all areas of the district so any parishes that may have reservations in the past can be reassured by this scheme.”
Lyn Gurling, Chairman of Lavenham Parish Council, said: “This is a very long-awaited event for the village and an important step for the future of Lavenham.
“I hope this progress will encourage other local landowners to offer other sites so that we can provide even more affordable housing for local people.
“On behalf of the Parish Council, I would like to thank Babergh District Council and Hastoe Housing Association for their help in bringing this scheme forward.”
Lavenham, is one of the oldest medieval villages in Britain, and open market house prices can be out of reach for many local people. The availability of land for housing is another reason why the affordable housing problem is so great in the village.
And John Lefever, Hastoe’s Regional Head of Development, added: “We are delighted to be involved in this project, where seven new homes will make a real difference to the lives of seven local families.”
Anyone interested in being considered for one of these homes is asked to register on Gateway to Homechoice at http://www.gatewaytohomechoice.org.uk/. ENDS
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