Bracknell Forest and Town Councillors were recently shown around two Abri sites being regenerated to provide 57 social rented homes for the local community.
Abri is redeveloping two existing sites at Barn Close and Bay House, both in Bracknell. It is knocking down the old buildings, which are no longer up to Abri standards and where the last residents left a few years ago, and creating high quality homes in their place.
Bullbrook ward councillors, Caroline Egglestone and Graham Firth were shown around Barn Close where work is well underway building 24 apartments and one chalet bungalow. These will be a mixture of one- and two-bed properties and will be ready to house local families from January 2027.
The Councillors also visited Bay House and watched demolition of the existing buildings taking place. Once demolition has been completed this autumn, Abri will start building 32 one- and two-bed flats ready to house local people from February 2028.
Fruit and native trees, wildflowers, shrubs, hedgerow and spring bulbs will all be planted as part of the landscaping on the sites. There will be 36 parking bays, including four disabled bays, and cycle racks installed to serve the new accommodation. In addition all the existing car parking areas which serve the existing dwellings will be resurfaced.
Abri’s in-house construction team is building all properties on both sites. Homes England, the Government’s housing and delivery agency, has provided funding under the Affordable Housing Programme 2021-2026 to support the development of both sites, along with funding support from Bracknell Forest Council.
Councillor Caroline Egglestone, Chair of the Health and Care Overview & Scrutiny Panel said: “I really enjoyed visiting both sites and seeing the fantastic progress being made on building these much-needed new homes. Bracknell Forest Council’s partnership with Abri and funding support for this project will result in real benefit for this local community.”
Dasos Christou, Regional Managing Director (South East) at Abri, commented: “There is an urgent need for social housing in Bracknell. Regenerating our existing sites at Barn Close and Bay House to provide high quality homes is an effective way for us to help meet some of this need for the local community.”
