Social housing provider Stonewater is delivering the much-needed mixed scheme of 24 low-cost rental and shared ownership properties at Charminster Farm, a new 70-home development off Wanchard Lane in Charminster by Dorset housebuilder Wyatt Homes.
Stonewater is creating a mix of 10 one- and two-bedroom apartments and two three-bedroom family houses all for affordable rent. Ten three-bedroom and two four-bedroom larger family houses will also be available for shared ownership — a part-buy, part-rent scheme which aims to help first time buyers onto the property ladder. The energy-efficient homes will all have private gardens and parking provision.
The new homes, which are due for completion in November this year, will contribute to the Opening Doors programme, a council-backed initiative aimed at tackling the region’s chronic housing shortage. The campaign hopes to encourage the construction of 20,000 new homes to meet housing need in West Dorset, North Dorset and Weymouth and Portland by 2033.
Picture above from left to right are: Charlotte Brace, Stonewater Development Manager; Scott Sullivan, Wyatt Homes Site Manager; Tom Owen, Wyatt Homes Technical Manager; Anthony Wetherly, Wyatt Homes Quantity Surveyor; Louise Pitts, Stonewater Development Officer; Richard Coles, Wyatt Homes Contract Manager and Stephen Esau, Taylor Lewis – Employers Agent.
“We are delighted to be working with Wyatt Homes and starting construction on these much-needed affordable homes in one of the most expensive parts of the country for housing,” commented Charlotte Brace, Development Manager at Stonewater. “We hope these well-designed and -located new homes will enable local people who are struggling to find truly affordable housing in the area, to stay in the community in a good quality home that meets their needs.”
A new community hall is also being built as part of the construction which will be given to the parish council.
Stonewater currently manages over 2,300 affordable homes in Dorset, 450 of which are in West Dorset.
Cllr Tim Yarker, West Dorset District Council’s Briefholder for Housing, said: “These affordable homes, in this commercially driven development, are very welcome as they will enable local people to gain some benefit from the current popularity of Charminster with open market home builders.
“Through our Opening Doors project, we are keen to see an increase in the number of affordable homes developed for our residents.”
Sandra Barton, Wyatt Homes Sales & Marketing Director added: “Wyatt Homes are excited to be working with Stonewater and are looking forward to seeing the development progress over the next couple of months. We are pleased to announce that our new Show Home will be available to view by at the end of March.”
