Spring surge of new affordable homes for Essex
Posted: Apr 22, 2009
Hundreds of Essex families who are in desperate need of high quality affordable homes are set to gain from over £5 million-worth of new homes on target for release in the next few weeks.
In a bid to help struggling local families, development company Iceni Homes is poised to release 73 new homes across at least four locations during the next two months – a total of more than half of its partner, Colne Housing’s, annual target.
With a current programme totaling £18 million in 2008, Iceni Homes, is now the development arm of Colne Housing Society in Colchester, Suffolk Housing Society in Bury St Edmunds and Hundred Houses in Cambridgeshire, and is ahead of its target, despite the economic downturn.
Among the new homes which will be available through Colchester-based Colne Housing at affordable rents in the next few weeks are new developments at:
- Flaktwoods, Colchester – 26 two-bedroom flats
- The Grove, Great Horkesley – 12 two and three-bedroom houses
- Woodside at Southminster near Maldon – 24 one, two, three, four and five bedroom homes
- Nipsells Chase, Mayland – 11 homes including flats and houses
Those registered with Maldon District Council – together with the Henry Gilder Drake Trust - will be considered first for the new homes in Woodside and Mayland; the remainder will be considered through the Colchester Council-based Choice Lettings procedures.
Robert Frost, Project Manager for the Southern Area for Iceni Homes, said: “This is a burst of good news for local families in Essex who are finding it ever tougher to move into high quality affordable homes.
“All these homes on the four sites are available at affordable rents – some of them also offer so-called intermediate rent levels which are even lower - and together they will bring much-needed housing to people on low incomes.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Maldon District Council, Colchester Borough Council and the Henry Gilder Drake Trust across these sites.”
The schemes were funded through contributions from the Homes and Communities Agency.
Iceni Managing Director Mike Goodson said: “Iceni Homes is confident it can make a significant response to the growing housing need in the area.
“With our new partnership with Hundred Houses, Iceni has increased its capacity to deliver affordable homes in attractive communities across an even broader geographical area.
“Iceni Homes has an outstanding track record for finding and delivering new developments – and we are proud we are exceeding our target development programme on behalf of Colne Housing with a real bubble of new homes opening up in the coming months.”
Iceni Homes’ rapid growth in recent years mean it is now set to deliver some 300 affordable homes every year over the next few years across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.
