Stonewater has celebrated the official opening of 30 new homes at Banbury Road in Deddington for local people struggling to find affordable homes in the area.
The new Stonewater homes are helping to meet a housing crisis in rural villages and towns where only 8% of housing is affordable compared with 20% in main urban centres.
Working together with housebuilder David Wilson Homes and Cherwell District Council, Stonewater has delivered a mix of 20 one-, two- and three-bedroom houses and one one-bedroom bungalow, all for affordable rent. Also available are nine two- and three-bedroom houses for shared ownership. Priority in allocating the new affordable homes will be given to those who already have a connection to the local area.
Chris Montague, Stonewater Assistant Director of Development, East, commented: “At a time when the average person in the Cherwell district would need a 153% pay rise to afford an average home, more and more young people and families who have grown up in the town are finding themselves forced to move away to find a home they can afford.
“Locals looking to rent are also being priced out, with the average rent eating up well over a third (37%) of their earnings. This has a devastating impact on the sustainability of town shops and local services which is evidenced by the closure of 31 post offices across the region in the past five years and 217 pubs closures between 2013 and 2016.
“These new affordable homes at Banbury Road are a great example of how housing associations can work together with developers and local authorities to tackle this problem, through building good quality homes that local people can truly afford. These homes however, have to be the right type of housing, in the right location, to stimulate growth, diversity and long-term prosperity.”
Stonewater’s new homes come as part of David Wilson Homes’ 85-home development, Deddington Grange. The smart new development is just a five-minute walk from Deddington High Street and local shops, and will feature a children’s play park
Pictured, from left to right: Yvonne Markie, Cherwell District Council Strategic Housing Officer; Arthur Gott, Stonewater Development Manager; Cllr David Rogers, Chair Deddington Parish Council; Cllr Bryn Williams, Cherwell District Councillor — Deddington Ward and Chris Montague, Stonewater Assistant Director of Development with children from Deddington Primary School holding the ribbon.
