A housing scheme on the edge of Gloucester has taken a step forward, paving the way for 180 new homes and a fresh lease of life for a piece of the area's hidden history.
Plans for The Port Way, Bromford Flagship LiveWest's development off Winnycroft Lane, Matson have been approved by Gloucester City Council. Work on site starts this summer, with the build handled by BFL’s in-house construction team.
Amanda Swann, regional director for new homes at Bromford Flagship LiveWest, said: "This development is going to make a real difference for local people, many of whom have been waiting for years for an affordable home to call their own."
Homes at the site will range from one-bedroom apartments up to a five-bedroom family house, across a mix of tenures. Of those, 77 will be for social rent, typically let at around half of local market rates, and 59 for shared ownership, a hybrid between buying and renting that offers a more accessible route onto the housing ladder. A further 44 will be available for anyone to buy on the open market. The scheme is being supported by Homes England, the government's housing delivery agency.
Every home will be built to accessible and adaptable standards, with five built to full wheelchair-user specification, including a through-floor lift in the largest property. Air source heat pumps and solar panels will keep running costs down.
At the centre of the site sits the remains of a medieval moated manor, a scheduled monument that has stood in this corner of Gloucester for hundreds of years. The monument will be retained and protected, set within an open meadow with new footpaths and information boards, so families moving in, and their neighbours, can walk through a piece of living history on their doorstep.
The scheme was publicly backed by local councillors and community organisations including Together in Matson, who told the planning committee that the development would be a major asset for an area that has long needed better-quality affordable homes.
Cllr Luke Shervey, Cabinet Member for Housing at Gloucester City Council, said: "These new homes represent an important investment in our city and will help address the growing demand for affordable housing. I'm pleased we can deliver this in partnership with Bromford, a trusted housing partner within the city.
"By ensuring we have a mixture of tenure types we are delivering for all those in need, including those for rent, shared ownership and those with the aspiration to own their own home."
To register interest in shared ownership or open market homes, including a show home opening once building is underway, visit bromfordhomes.co.uk/homes/shared-ownership/the-port-way-at-snow-capel
To find out more about shared ownership and if you qualify, visit bromfordhomes.co.uk/home-ownership-hub/looking-for-a-home/what-is-shared-ownership
