Work starts in Leicester on 100 new ‘affordable’ homes to help ease waiting lists
Work has begun on a new 100-home estate next to the River Soar, in Leicester. The development, off Loughborough Road, in Rushey Mead ward, will be made up of a mix of 59 flats and 41 houses.
The properties will comprise 25 one-beds, 43 two-beds, 20 three-beds and 12 four-beds. The homes, which will sit on former warehouse land, are all described as being “affordable”.
The new estate will help ease the pressure currently on Leicester City Council’s housing waiting list, which currently has around 6,500 people on it in need of a suitable home, developers Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) and Owl Partnerships said. Some 44 of the homes will be let at an “affordable” rent to people on that waiting list, and 42 will be part sold for shared ownership. That means tenants can buy part of the property as a percentage of its market value, and pay rent on the rest.
The remaining 14 will be commissioned by Leicester City Council as supported housing. Currently, developers are only required to provide 20 per cent affordable housing in each scheme.
The site includes the brownfield site – that is, previously developed land – behind the Bestway Cash and Carry and the green space along the River Soar. The homes will be predominantly built on the brownfield, with the existing green space retained and enhanced through landscaping to become a new public open space, the developers said. The habitats along the river currently provide homes to a number of creatures, including badgers, foxes, bats, otters and grass snakes.
An artist’s impression of how the new estate next to the River Soar could look
The plans show there will only be one entry point to the site, which will be along Meadows Way. Cycle and pedestrian routes will run throughout the site, linking to those already along Meadows Way.
Councillor Elly Cutkelvin, deputy city mayor for housing, said: “This new development will bring forward another 100 much-needed affordable homes in what is already a thriving and popular neighbourhood. We are facing a national housing crisis and that means a growing demand for affordable homes in Leicester. Working closely with housing associations and developers like NCHA and Owl Partnerships is just one way we can help respond to that.”
Allan Fisher, director of development at NCHA, said “There’s a really high demand for affordable housing in Leicester, so it’s great to see the build of 100 homes underway. We are delighted to be working with Owl Partnerships for the second time to deliver much-needed affordable homes for people in Leicestershire.”
Developers and city council officials met on site to mark the start of the work
David Bradley, group managing director at Owl Partnerships said: “We are a leading provider of sustainable and high-quality residential properties in the Midlands and we are delighted to have started on our largest affordable scheme to date.”
The development has been funded by NCHA with support from Homes England. The scheme contributes to NCHA’s strategic partnership with Homes England, to deliver new, affordable homes across the East Midlands and East of England.