Housing Plus Group has been celebrating the completion of a new development of homes for social rent and shared ownership in a South Staffordshire village.   

The construction of five bungalows and five houses in Platinum Grange, off Shop Lane, Oaken, will provide high quality, affordable housing for people with a local connection to the village. 

The scheme has delivered a two-bedroom bungalow, 4 one-bedroom bungalows, 1 three-bedroom house and 4 two-bedroom houses, including shared ownership properties which will help buyers get onto the housing ladder in an increasingly challenging market.     

Built to meet local housing need, the homes were designed to resemble a farmhouse, workers cottages and barns, with distinctive features such as decorative roof ridge tiles, arched windows and farmyard-style boundary fencing. 

The properties have been constructed to accept electric charging points and most have either a bird or bat box to encourage and protect local wildlife. 

The development was officially named after the Platinum Jubilee for Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022, when work began on the site. 

Sepp Sargeant, Head of Development at Housing Plus Group, explained: “We are delighted that these attractive, high-quality homes have been completed, for local people to rent as well as to help them get onto the housing ladder through shared ownership. 

“These homes will help us to make a positive difference to homes, lives and communities for many years to come, by providing affordable housing for local people." 

Work on site has been carried out on behalf of Housing Plus Group by Midlands-based construction firm Harper Group, who formally handed over the development in December 2023. 

Antony Rees, Group Managing Director of J. Harper and Sons (Leominster) Ltd said: “We are extremely proud to have worked in collaboration with Housing Plus Group on this prestigious local project.  

“The development serves the rural community by providing high quality, affordable housing which boasts the opportunity to buy through their shared ownership scheme. We look forward to working with Housing Plus Group again on future developments.” 

Elected Members from South Staffordshire Council recently visited the site to have a look round the finished properties. 

Leader of South Staffordshire Council, Councillor Roger Lees, said: “South Staffordshire has a strong track record of delivering affordable homes for local people and this scheme is very welcome.   

“It is the result of close liaison and partnership working between the council and Housing Plus Group.” 

South Staffordshire Council chairman and local member for Codsall, Councillor Meg Barrow, said: “We know that staying within the community in which they were born and brought up is very important to many local residents.   

“This scheme, which was granted under the council’s rural exceptions policy, will enable families to do just that.” 

The Platinum Grange development, which welcomed its first residents just in time for Christmas, has been completed with grant support of £578,500 from Homes England. 

Bhups Gosal, Head of Provider Management at Homes England, said: “As the Government’s housing and regeneration agency, increasing the supply of quality affordable homes remains one of our key objectives and we are committed to supporting ambitious housebuilders of all sizes to build those homes and communities. This investment through the Affordable Homes Programme does just that, enabling Housing Plus Group to build much needed new homes the people of Oaken in Staffordshire can be proud of.”