Thakeham, one of the leading housebuilders in the south of England, has handed over the first nine homes at its Holmhurst St Mary development near Hastings, East Sussex, to Southern Housing, one of the UK’s largest housing associations.
Addressing the need for affordable homes in the local community, Holmhurst St Mary is a 100% affordable housing scheme comprising both homes for rent and sale through shared ownership. Thakeham is delivering 208 homes for Southern Housing, including 31 one and two-bed apartments across two blocks and 177 two, three and four-bed family houses. The development will also feature a pocket park, providing a recreational green space for residents, along with a new residential square.
As well as providing homes, Thakeham is overseeing the restoration of the Grade II listed Queen Anne statue, a notable feature of the Holmhurst development. Originally located at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, the monument was subsequently bought, moved and installed at Holmhurst St Mary after being damaged. The statue has fallen into disrepair over the years due to a lack of regular maintenance, damage from overhanging trees and saline rain, and vandalism and graffiti. Queen Anne was recently removed from the site and is currently with a stonemason for restoration, while Thakeham will install new landscaping, footpaths and benches to showcase the monument once it is returned to situ.
Stuart Fullwood, Partnerships Director at Thakeham, commented: “Hastings is experiencing a housing crisis, with around 500 households currently living in temporary accommodation in the town. The council estimates this will cost £5.6m within the next year, which is a third of its total budget. That’s why we’re delighted to hand over these initial nine homes at Holmhurst St Mary and start alleviating some of the pressure on the local housing system. We want to build strong ties with the Hastings community, which is why we’ve committed to initiatives such as restoring the historic Queen Anne statue, donating equipment to support local youth groups and engaging young people in construction to spark a potential future career in housebuilding.”
Luke Chandler, Director of Delivery at Southern Housing, added: “We’ve a proud history of delivering high quality, affordable homes in Hastings and are delighted to have given more residents the keys to their new homes at our Holmhurst development. This development not only contributes to much-needed housing provision in the area but also features sustainable design features, which will benefit the residents living there and the environment. This includes the homes being future-proofed and net zero ready, supporting wildlife and ecology and providing electric vehicle charging points.”
Thakeham intends to hand over more homes at Holmhurst St Mary in stages until Christmas, closing Phases 1a and 1b of the scheme. Handovers to complete the development’s second phase are planned for spring 2025, with the scheme due to fully complete in autumn 2025.
