Amy and Luke were the first customers to buy a home at Stonewater’s Sturt Farm scheme in Haslemere, which has enabled them to stay in the local area and has seen their energy bills significantly lowered. Here, housing association Stonewater talks to LABM about how it is opening the door to more affordable homeownership.
Amy, 35, a psychotherapist who grew up near Sunbury in Surrey, and Luke, 37, a water installation specialist originally from Stanwell, also in Surrey, had rented their three-bedroom terraced house for six years. However, the couple had dreams of moving to a community-focused area where they could raise their young family.
“Where we used to live really changed over the years and there was anti-social behaviour taking place,” explained Amy. “We were keen to move somewhere that was quieter and we wanted a slightly bigger home so our children could have their own bedrooms too.”
With three children — Kaitlin (10), Reilly (nine) and Connor (three) — plus Del Boy, the Boxer dog, to think about, Amy and Luke ideally wanted to stay in the local area. Having always lived in Surrey, the couple knew the areas they liked and spent weekends exploring villages and market towns, including Haslemere.
Amy added: “Haslemere really appealed to us because there is plenty of green space and the pace of life felt very different to where we were renting. When we found out that Stonewater was building a new development there and there were shared ownership homes, we knew we had to go and visit it right away.”
The first visit to Sturt Farm was all it took for the couple to set their sights on moving to the scheme, which officially opened in August 2025. The properties range from two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, with 70 available for Social Rent, 44 provided as Shared Ownership and nine available for Rent to Buy.
“As soon as we turned the corner and saw the exterior cladding, which makes the properties look like barns, and the local architecture, nearby parks and cafes, I fell in love with it,” explained Amy.
Opening the door to affordable homeownership
Amy and Luke went on to purchase their property, a semi-detached, four-bedroom home split over three storeys, and moved into it 15 months ago. “It’s got everything — four double bedrooms, large gardens that are completely private, three bathrooms and uninterrupted countryside views out of our bedroom and kitchen windows. You can see right up the valley,” Amy said.
“If it weren’t for this development and the shared ownership option, we would have been priced out of the area. Being in a shared ownership property means we can gradually increase our share of the property, which is something we will look to do in the future.”
Stonewater has long been a sector leader in Shared Ownership, with hundreds of families each year taking their first step onto the property ladder through its schemes. By offering flexible tenure options, customers can not only secure a home in the communities they love but also build long-term stability and financial security. For families like Amy and Luke’s, Shared Ownership has meant the difference between being priced out of the market and achieving their dream of homeownership in a desirable location. Finding somewhere that was more community-focused firmly featured on the family’s wish list and is another big box they’ve been able to tick with their move to Sturt Farm.
“There’s such a wonderful vibe here. There’s a WhatsApp group for the neighbours to keep in touch. If you run out of something and mention it to the group, someone will say, ‘I’ll run it up to you.’ There’s a real sense of community here,” added Amy.
Stonewater’s work at Sturt Farm forms part of its wider commitment to tackling the challenges facing people in rural communities. The housing association recognises that limited availability of affordable homes can force people to move away from the villages and market towns they grew up in — weakening the social and economic fabric of these areas.
To help shape future solutions, Stonewater co-funded new research this year through its partner charity, Longleigh Foundation, focusing on the specific barriers and opportunities within rural housing. The findings, launched earlier this year at another of Stonewater’s rural developments, shed light on the importance of locally tailored approaches — from sustainable land use and design that complements the rural landscape, to creating mixed-tenure communities that ensure long-term affordability.
The research underlined the vital role housing providers can play in keeping rural communities thriving by offering homes that meet modern needs. For Stonewater, developments like Sturt Farm are living examples of that commitment in action — creating affordable, energy-efficient homes that enable people like Amy and Luke to stay rooted in the places they love.
Energy-efficient homes built for the future
Focussing not just on the number of rural homes and ensuring a mix of affordable home rental and ownership options, sustainability and reducing costs for customers is another key element of Stonewater’s homes.
All the homes at Sturt Farm have an EPC rating of B or above and were constructed using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). There are electric vehicle charging points available across the site, while PV solar panels have been installed on 118 of the properties.
“The windows are triple-glazed and the difference it makes is huge. It means that warmth is kept in, so much so, we don’t have to put the heating on very much, even now it’s winter. And the windows mean it’s so quiet, we don’t hear much noise from outside either,” explained Amy.
“The energy efficiency of this property is a lot better than our last place. We used to pay £148 for our gas and electricity every month. Now we pay £88, despite doubling our square footage.
“We love it here. We’ve all got our own space and the added benefit of stunning views and a supportive local community, plus the fact we’ve managed to stay living in Surrey. We feel extremely lucky to be living here at Sturt Farm.”
Amy and Luke’s story reflects one of Stonewater’s core values: enabling people to remain in the communities they cherish. With rising living costs making rural areas increasingly unaffordable, developments like Sturt Farm are vital in ensuring families aren’t forced to move away from the places they’ve always known.
By offering affordable options such as Shared Ownership, Stonewater is helping to preserve the social fabric of rural counties like Surrey, allowing residents and future generations to put down roots and thrive.
Header image: Stonewater’s Sturt Farm development in Haslemere
