More homes for local families are on the way in Gloucestershire after planners approved a 95-home affordable development in Highnam.
BFL (Bromford Flagship LiveWest) is behind the development off Newent Road in the village, which is in the borough of Tewkesbury.
Forty-nine of the homes will be for affordable rent and allocated to families on the local council’s housing waiting list, at up to 80% of market rates. The other 46 homes will be available for shared ownership, an affordable way to get onto the housing ladder which involves buying a share of the property and paying rent on the rest.
Amanda Swann, Regional Director for New Homes at BFL, said:
“This is going to be a wonderful addition to such a picturesque part of Gloucestershire.
“I’m thrilled that this will be a 100% affordable development to meet local housing need, and we’re grateful for all the support from our partners and consultants to get the planning approval.
“The aim of these homes and the development overall is that it will complement the local environment and community as much as possible, and I’m so excited to see it come together.”
BFL’s in-house construction team, Bromford Developments, will build the development, which has been backed by grant funding from Homes England. Planning, design and development consultants Marrons helped secure the planning approval.
Rosina Martin, associate architectural designer at Marrons, said:
“This development is a perfect example of how thoughtful design will result in a wonderful new community in Highnam.
“We’re really proud of this plan’s high-quality architecture, generous green spaces, energy-efficient homes and walkable streets, and we can’t wait to see these homes come to life.”
The development has been designed with the environment in mind. Each house will have an electric vehicle charging point, solar panels, and an air source heat pump for more efficient heating.
Parking and cycle storage will be provided, along with new footpaths and roads connecting residents to the wider village.
Highnam is three miles northwest of Gloucester, with direct links to the city as well as Ross-on-Wye. The village has a primary school, doctors’ surgery and village hall. It is also close to the RSPB nature reserve at Highnam Woods, famous for being home to Britain’s rarest breeding species of woodpecker, the lesser spotted woodpecker.
Tewkesbury Borough Council approved the detail of the development earlier this week.