Our latest rural affordable housing development has been given the green light by Cotswold District Council.
Our plans for a 13-home development on land next to Down Ampney football club were approved by the council’s planning committee yesterday. The new homes will be among the most energy efficient to be built in the county in recent years, thanks to a combination of insulation, solar panels and air source heat pumps that will be fitted to every home.
All of the two and three-bedroom houses will be available as social rent units, with the creation of a play area and open space also included in the plans. A financial contribution will also be made for school transport.
Cllr Juliet Layton, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, said: “This scheme is a perfect example of how great partnerships can deliver sustainable development and affordable housing in the Cotswold district, and make a positive difference.
“We have a housing emergency in the UK, and with average house prices almost 14 times the average salary in the Cotswolds, the problem is particularly acute here. We’re committed to delivering more truly affordable homes, and this is exactly the kind of scheme we need to see more of across the district.
“This overgrown, vacant site, which also consists of old lock-up garages, will be repurposed to enable local people on low incomes to stay local in high quality, homes.”
We worked closely with the council to bring forward a development that meets the local authority’s key priority of delivering good quality housing that is genuinely affordable.
Giles Spencer, Senior Land Manager at Bromford, said: “We’re aware there is a lack of affordable homes in villages in the Cotswolds so are pleased to have worked together with Cotswold District Council to get the green light for this development. It means families that might otherwise have been priced out of buying or renting will be able to continue living in the local area.
“The families moving into these new homes will benefit not only from the energy-efficient features we’re installing but also from having a local neighbourhood coach dedicated to getting to know them and working together to help them thrive in Down Ampney. But for now, our focus will be on making all the preparations to allow us to start work on these new homes.”
This development builds on a 2022 collaboration agreement between ourselves and Cotswold District Council to facilitate the development of sustainable, affordable homes in the area.