Golden Brick Laying at North Cerney
Celebrating the development of affordable rural housing
The next stage in providing affordable rural housing in North Cerney was formally launched with a Golden Brick Laying event on 23 May. Cirencester Housing is working with Parish Councils and Cotswold District Council to bring 12 new affordable homes to the village, and building work started in April 2019. The Golden Brick Laying event was organised by Cirencester Housing to share the importance of rural affordable housing schemes. Other information events will be held to keep local people in touch with the development’s progress.
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Janice Banks was delighted to attend the event on behalf of GRCC and was especially pleased to hear praise for the involvement of GRCC’s Rural Housing Enabler Martin Hutchings in the early stages of the project. In 2013 and 2014 Martin conducted two housing needs surveys in the adjoining parishes of North Cerney and Bagendon. A need for affordable housing was identified in each. The parish councils actively supported the prospect of developing an affordable housing scheme and worked with Martin to identify a number of potential Rural Exception Sites for development. Martin approached Cirencester Housing regarding delivery of any proposed scheme, and a public drop-in event in December 2016, hosted by Cirencester Housing and GRCC with parish councillors present, enabled residents to view the proposals ahead of a planning application.
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The joint project, involving both parish councils, Cirencester Housing, Cotswold District Council and the wider community, helped Cirencester Housing ensure that the homes will not only look beautiful but that they will also be the right mix of houses and flats that the community needs. Cirencester Housing engaged Quattro Architects to design the scheme which will comprise 10 houses and flats for affordable rent and 2 houses for shared ownership, all of which will be prioritised for people with a local connection. Builders Harpers and Sons began work on the site in April 2019 and it is hoped the homes will be ready to move into by early 2020.
Maureen Margrie, Chief Executive of Cirencester Housing, said: “Cirencester Housing, as a not-for-profit housing association, builds small numbers of community-focused and affordable homes in villages and rural areas, helping people stay in their local area, ensuring that the homes are always affordable and keeping rural communities together. We are delighted to be building new homes in North Cerney and we will continue to manage these homes once they have been built, for many years to come.”
For more information about how GRCC works with parish councils, district councils, and housing associations to deliver affordable rural housing that communities want and need click here.