Largest affordable housing scheme for a decade on the horizon
Winchester City Council in partnership with Swaythling Housing Society and developers Parsons and Joyce Contractors Ltd, is pleased to unveil plans to build the largest affordable housing scheme involving Council owned land, for over a decade. The site is located to the rear of Willis Waye in a semi-rural location straddling the Parishes of both Kings Worthy and Headbourne Worthy on the outskirts of Winchester. Now with planning consent for the provision of 29 new affordable homes and 1 replacement market dwelling the development is scheduled to be underway in Spring 2010 with completion due in Summer 2011.
The Council controls around a third of the site, which predominantly comprises garage blocks and some disused scrub land. The garage site has, for many years, been unpopular amongst residents as its secluded location with poor natural surveillance has made it an area prone to anti-social behaviour. The scrub land to the rear is heavily vegetated and although an excellent habitat for slow worms, dormice, birds and other species, is not suitable for use as public open space. The remainder of the site is in private ownership and Parsons and Joyce have secured options with these owners.
The development of 22 houses and 8 flats will provide accommodation ranging from 1 bedroom flats up to 4 bedroom houses with plenty else in between. The use of both rented and intermediate tenures will ensure something for everyone and aid the sustainability of the scheme and it’s integration with the surrounding community. The scheme will be built to Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and at a lower density of around 25 dwellings per hectare, to ensure compliance with a Local Area Design Statement and to maintain the existing character of the area. Onsite open space, 60 parking spaces and a fenced off ecology area to be left to enable indigenous species to flourish in an undisturbed environment, will all feature in the development.
This project, in an area of high land values, is an excellent example of how collaboration between the public and private sector can achieve a viable affordable housing scheme. For more information on this scheme please contact the Housing Strategy and Development Team or view the planning application.