Warwickshire Rural Housing Association (WRHA)’s first homes in North Warwickshire have been showcased during Rural Housing Week 2019.
Derrick Dyas, Chairman of WRHA and Paul Roberts, Housing Strategy and Development Officer at North Warwickshire Borough Council called in on the first tenants to benefit from WRHA’s expansion into the borough.
Currently celebrating 30 years of providing local affordable homes specifically for local people, WRHA is continuously looking to move into new areas of Warwickshire where there is a shortage of affordable homes in rural communities.
With the help of funding from North Warwickshire Borough Council, WRHA was able to take ownership, earlier this year, of two affordable bungalows on the new Corley Gardens development, developed by Cassidy Group UK. The properties have already made a big difference to the new residents.
Geoffrey Pears said: “My wife Barbara and I have lived in a bungalow in Corley for a number of years now but, unfortunately, we had no option but to look for somewhere else when our landlord decided to sell.
“It was very important for us to find another bungalow, as I’m 90 years old and Barbara is 84 and neither of us could possibly manage a house with stairs.
“We didn’t really know what we were going to do until WRHA came along. We are very grateful indeed to have been offered an ideal affordable property in the village we know so well.”
Mr and Mrs Pears took the opportunity to show representatives from WRHA and North Warwickshire Borough Council around their brand new bungalow during a week of celebrations to mark national Rural Housing Week.
With the theme ‘Building for Rural Communities’, Rural Housing Week aims to shine a spotlight on successful developments that offer a lifeline to local people in rural towns and villages, and to reinforce the message that housing is vital for the survival of rural communities and services.
Chairman of Warwickshire Rural Housing Association, Derrick Dyas commented: “We’re delighted to be moving into new areas of Warwickshire during our 30th anniversary year.
“Our expansion into North Warwickshire will enable us to provide even more much needed affordable homes for local people and families who would not otherwise be able to afford to live within their own communities.
“Rural Housing Week was the perfect opportunity for us to visit one of our latest schemes and to hear about the huge difference our affordable properties are making to people in Warwickshire’s villages.”
Paul Roberts, Housing Strategy & Development Officer at North Warwickshire Borough Council, added: “It is wonderful that Warwickshire Rural Housing Association has been able to purchase two bungalows within Corley that have helped residents to stay in an area that is familiar to them and keep their local networks.
“This is just the start of some great partnership working between North Warwickshire Borough Council and Warwickshire Rural Housing Association and we hope to see further developments from them within the borough.”
Pictured above are Paul Roberts, Housing Strategy and Development Officer at North Warwickshire Borough Council with Corley residents, Geoffrey and Barbara Pears, and Derrick Dyas, Chairman of Warwickshire Rural Housing Association.
