Planning permission has been granted for 31 “affordable” homes in Eastington, near Stonehouse in Gloucestershire.
Two Rivers Housing is working with the Eastington Community Land Trust (ECLT) to deliver the proposed scheme at Homegrounds.
ECLT was set up by residents to help tackle the lack of affordable housing in the village. Concerned for the future of their families who were struggling to find suitable housing in the area, the land trust aims to meet local housing need while limiting further development in the parish.
Back in 2020, the ECLT built 23 affordable homes at its Claypits site. The community land trust is now partnering with Gloucester-based Two Rivers to build a further 31 homes at its Homegrounds site.
Working together, they have secured planning permission from Stroud District Council to build a mix of flats and houses that will help local families find an affordable home in the area.
The new development will provide 21 homes for social rent, and 10 for shared ownership in a rural area where affordable housing is said to be desperately needed.
Tom Morrison, ECLT’s chair, said: “Over the last 10 years or so we’ve worked hard to ensure that Eastington remains a thriving rural community. Through projects like this one we can meet the housing needs of local people, while protecting our greenspaces and the rural character and charm of the village.
“Gloucestershire-based Two Rivers Housing is the perfect partner for our second project. They are a local housing association with experience in building for rural communities and we believe that their knowledge, experience, and commitment to increasing the availability of affordable homes in their communities is a great fit for our second project.”
Terri Hibberd, development manager at Two Rivers Housing, added: “This is great news for families in Eastington where access to affordable housing is limited. Rural areas like this are in desperate need of new homes, but it can be a difficult balance between preserving the character of the village and ensuring that there are enough places for people to live.
“Working with organisations like the ECLT helps ensure that developments like this are done with and supported by the local community whose friends and families will ultimately benefit from the new homes we are building together.”
Now that planning has been granted, Two Rivers says it will look to appoint a contractor and hopes to start work on site in the summer of 2024.
Main image: Plans for the proposed development
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