Planning permission has been granted for Hightown Housing Association to transform the site of Hemel Hempstead’s TopCar service centre into 44 new homes for people on Dacorum Borough Council’s waiting list.
Located on Paradise Industrial Estate on Wood Lane (close to the Marlowes shopping centre), the new homes (artist’s impression above) will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments. Construction is likely to start in summer 2019 and finish by early 2021.
According to the National Housing Federation’s Home Truths report, average house prices in Dacorum are £429,118 — over 12 times more than the average annual salary in the area (£34,372).
Andrew Royall, Development Director for Hightown Housing Association said: “This is fantastic news for local people struggling to pay private rents. Affordable housing is much-needed and these homes are in a great location, close to the town centre.
“Since 2009, Hightown has built over 700 homes in Hemel Hempstead and we’re hoping to build 370 more homes in the next five years.”
The new homes will play a part in the regeneration of Paradise Industrial Estate into a mixed use and residential area, as identified in the Dacorum Borough Council Local Plan. Park Lane, another Hightown development that opened in 2016, provided 70 new homes in the area.
