Flagship Homes, part of Bromford Flagship LiveWest (BFL), has started building 29 houses on land off Station Road in Haughley, ranging from one-bedroom bungalows to four-bedroom family houses.

Simon Floor, Flagship Homes project manager, said work was progressing well at the 1.28-hectare site, which is a short walk from the village centre and primary school.

Mr Floor said: “We’re not just putting up houses here – we’re creating somewhere that’ll be at the heart of village life for generations to come.”

To be called Gooseberry Rise, the site will include 16 homes for social rent, which families on the local council waiting list will be able to access at around 60% of market rates.

There will also be 13 homes for shared ownership – a hybrid between buying and renting that offers an affordable way to get onto the housing ladder.

Kyle Crush, construction manager at Marfleet & Bradshaw, the principal contractor on the project, said each home would feature air source heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicle charging points.

Mr Crush said: “We’re putting renewable energy at the centre of everything on this scheme. These families will have modern, efficient homes that cost much less to run.”

The development has been made possible thanks to funding from Homes England.

It will include dedicated biodiversity areas with bird and bat boxes, and hedgehog-friendly fencing with small gaps to let wildlife move freely through the site.

The first families should be able to move into their new homes in autumn 2026.

Haughley has a rich history dating back over 1,000 years and is home to one of the country’s oldest bakeries – Palmers – as well as one of the UK’s oldest post offices.

There is also a bus stop close to Gooseberry Rise with services to Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds.