Providing affordable homes in rural areas of Staffordshire and Shropshire
Affordable housing is at the heart of thriving rural communities, that’s why Housing Plus Group has been working hard to boost the level of affordable housing in rural areas of Staffordshire and Shropshire.
Rural Housing Week is the perfect time to celebrate this hard work and our dedication to providing affordable homes that people love and keep rural communities alive.
Over the last year we have completed three rural housing developments that are helping people with local connections remain in the villages they grew up in, instead of being forced out by rising house prices.
Working together with Homes England, South Staffordshire Council, Shropshire Council and local parish councils, we’ve completed 48 new affordable homes in Oaken, Baschurch and Pontesbury.
This includes 28 homes for affordable rent, 15 for shared ownership and five for social rent.
Kerry Bolister, Director of development at Housing Plus Group, explained: “I am really encouraged to see so many new rural affordable homes delivered this year by our housing association with the vital support of our partners.
“It’s fantastic news for these communities and will mean a significant increase in the amount and choice of affordable housing on offer.”
We aim to work closely with local communities – such as residents, politicians, neighbourhood groups or local authorities – to make sure that our new homes meet the needs of each community now and in the future.
The Oaken development, in South Staffordshire, is the result of many years of work – with numerous consultations with the local community and support from local councillors.
The scheme of four one-bedroom bungalows, one two-bedroom bungalow, four two-bedroom homes and one three-bedroom home is called Platinum Grange, after the Platinum Jubilee for Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022, when work began on the site.
In Shropshire we have built 20 homes in Parry Close, Baschurch, and 18 in Mount Close, Pontesbury, which are all exclusively for people with a local connection to the villages.
A mixture of one-bedroom apartments, one and two-bedroom bungalows and two and three-bedroom houses, the homes in Parry Close include a range of energy-efficient features, including solar panels and electric charging points.
The Mount Close development includes a mix of two and three-bedroom homes and one and two-bedroom bungalows. All the new homes benefit from solar PV panels and air source heat pumps, which will help reduce running costs.
You can find out more about each of these developments, using the links below:
Highlighting our new energy efficient homes on World Environment Day – Housing Plus Group
