Greatwell Homes now owns and manages more than 5,000 homes, after completing the construction of its Lakeland Meadows development in Wellingborough.
The Northamptonshire housing association achieved the milestone after finishing 40 new homes at the development, which comprises a mix of affordable rent, shared ownership, rent to buy and market-rent homes.
Greatwell Homes says it’s pleased to have helped families get onto the property ladder.
Greatwell Homes chief executive Jo Savage commented: “This is a really exciting milestone for us to reach and to know that these new homes that we have built are becoming safe places for so many families, and helping others get onto the property ladder has made it so much more rewarding.
Greatwell Homes chief executive Jo Savage and patron Revd Richard Coles at the
construction site of Lakeland Meadows in October 2019
“Now more than ever, we are committed to providing great services and high-quality living environments to all of our 5,000 households as our homes have become so much more important to us over the last few months.
“We will continue to work in partnership with other organisations and authorities across the county to develop a diverse range of new homes to meet local needs.”
Claudette’s story
Claudette Blair, 55, was living in a privately rented two bedroom flat with no outdoor space before applying for a shared ownership home with Greatwell Homes.
On 3 July, she received the keys to her new two-bedroom home with a garden for her and her 14-year-old son.
She said: “I didn’t want to pay rent on something that wasn’t mine and thought that shared ownership was ideal as I would struggle to get a mortgage at my age.
“It was really exciting seeing it being built and knowing that it was mine.
“There is no better feeling than to have your own home – it’s a new start for me.”
Team effort
Developers Galliford Try Partnership started work on the Lakeland Meadows site in 2019. The land was acquired from the Borough Council of Wellingborough and was developed using grant funding from Homes England.
Cllr Martin Griffiths, leader of the council, commented on the development, saying: “It is wonderful to see this development completed and that it will help so many people and provide them with a brand new affordable home.
“With over 500 households on the council’s housing register, this new development, with its choice of tenures designed to meet people’s budgets, and a range of property sizes for singles/couples and families, will go towards meeting some of the housing needs in the area.
“I am pleased that the council has been able to play a large part in enabling this development to happen by transferring land to Greatwell Homes to meet local housing needs.”
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