WORK UNDERWAY ON £1 MILLION RURAL HOUSING SCHEME
The development by Stafford and Rural Homes (SARH) at Church Lane, Hixon will see the creation of seven new homes, and local civic leaders have joined the housing association’s Chief Executive, Karen Armitage, in taking a look at work already underway at the site.
“It was fantastic to see that work has started on site, and we are really excited about this project as it demonstrates what can be achieved by taking a partnership approach to solving the problem of providing rural housing for local people,” Karen said.
“The shortage of affordable housing in rural communities is a growing challenge, but by working closely with local residents, the parish council and local planning authorities, we can build sustainable developments that meet the needs of rural areas.”
The development is located on a rural exception site and was given the green light following £140,000 grant funding from the Homes and Community Agency (HCA). The scheme is also being supported by both Stafford Borough Council and Hixon Parish Council, who were actively involved in the planning process.
Cllr Brendan McKeown, Chairman of Hixon Parish Council, commented: “We are proud to be involved in this project. Over the past couple of years we have worked closely with SARH and other partners to help identify a clear local need for affordable homes in the village.”
Karen and Cllr McKeown were joined by Cllr Jeremy Pert, Cabinet Member for Communities at Stafford Borough Council, for a visit to Church Lane, where they were shown around the site by representatives from developer Speller Metcalfe.
Following the site visit, Cllr Pert said: “We identified a need, as part of having a balanced mix of housing options, in Hixon for some well-designed low-cost homes for both rent and shared ownership, to meet the needs of the local community.
“I am proud of the work that Stafford and Rural Homes has done here, engaging with the local community and Parish Council, alongside Stafford Borough Council, to deliver these houses to meet local residents’ housing needs. These houses will be well-designed, cherished homes for many generations to come.”
Consisting of two two-bedroom bungalows, four two-bedroom houses and one three-bedroom house, the scheme is due to be completed by March next year. Five of the new properties will be available to rent whilst two will be set aside for shared ownership.
Pictured at the site in Church Lane, Hixon, are (left to right):
Bill Munn, Best Practice Manager, Speller Metcalfe
Karen Armitage, Chief Executive, Stafford and Rural Homes
Cllr Brendan McKeown, Chairman, Hixon Parish Council
Jeremy Pert, Cabinet Member for Communities, Stafford Borough Council
Mark Morris, Site Manager, Speller Metcalfe