A Gloucestershire village will be the latest to benefit from new affordable homes from a large Midlands provider.
Platform Housing Group – which manages almost 50,000 homes across the region – has agreed a deal with Vistry, Britain’s biggest housebuilder and leading provider of affordable homes, for the site at Fiddington Lane in Ashchurch.
In total, 150 new homes will be built, with 60 being offered for shared ownership and the other 90 for social rent.
Michael Baggett, Director of Land and Partnerships at Platform Housing Group, said: “We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of land at Fiddington near Tewkesbury, working in partnership with Vistry. The purchase of this site marks a significant step forward in our commitment to tackling the housing crisis. The development of 150 affordable homes is a testament to partnership working. Together Platform and Vistry are working to create sustainable communities, ensuring that people and families have access to a safe, affordable place to call home.”
This is Platform’s first time working on a 100 per cent affordable homes project with Vistry’s Cotswolds region; the location is a growing area for the social landlord where it already has 119 homes at Bishops Cleeve and a further 272 at Perrybrook nearby.
Vistry is working to secure full planning consent by the end of the year. Work is expected to start on site in April 2025 with the first homes available from September 2025; completion of the £38 million project is set for September 2027.
The project utilises Homes England funding with the homes being all electric.
Vistry will deliver house types from its specialist Partnerships range; the properties will be constructed with timber frames made by Vistry Works, the manufacturing arm of Vistry Group.
Supriya Ray, Managing Director for Vistry Cotswolds, said: “Tewkesbury is a growing town which requires new affordable homes to help accommodate its expanding population. Our partnership with Platform Housing Group will make a significant and positive contribution towards addressing local housing needs.
“This is the first 100 per cent affordable homes project to be delivered by the Cotswolds business unit under the partnerships model and we are in discussion to bring forward many more. This reflects Vistry’s commitment to sustained growth in housing output, while driving social value and delivering strong returns for our investors.”
The new homes will form an extension to a new neighbourhood which is taking shape to the south east of Tewkesbury and is planned to bring new community facilities to the area.