Once complete the scheme will be made up of 11 homes for affordable rent, 10 for shared ownership and 39 for open market sale supporting many local families otherwise priced out of the area. Residents will move into the new homes from September 2019.
Leon Harris, Senior Development Manager at LiveWest said: “The new homes at Uffculme will breathe new life into this beautiful rural community. Rural house building can be key to the survival of vital community assets and services, such as schools, post offices and pubs and we know these homes will really make a difference.”
The new homes are set on the edge of the village of Uffculme, situated on the River Culm close to the Blackdown Hills, an area of natural beauty. The village has a primary and secondary school, local shop, pub, and busy community centre and is nearby to Tiverton. LiveWest is investing in upgrade works to the main road into Uffculme including the provision of two new bus stops.
Through the S106 agreement in place, LiveWest will also be giving £164,000 contribution towards education in Uffculme. The profit generated by open market sales is recycled back into LiveWest to enable the provision of more affordable homes.
New trees will be planted on the scheme as well as plants that have been specifically selected to attract and sustain local wildlife. Bird and bat boxes will be provided throughout the estate and residents will be encouraged to enjoy picnic tables in the green space to really make the most of the rural surroundings.
LiveWest is supporting Rural Housing Week (1-7 July) and during the week has announced they will be building 400 new homes in rural areas in the South West over the next two years.
The week celebrates the work housing associations do in investing in rural communities, enhancing the local economy and helping to keep local services, such as shops and schools viable.
Nathan Cronk Director of Development at LiveWest, said: “We know how affordable rural homes make a difference to local people who need to stay in the area where they work, have lived or have family connections. Often the people living in our homes have jobs in the community that keep vital services going, such as providing support to children and older people, teaching, nursing or running the local shop.”
“Over the past two years LiveWest has delivered 350 new homes in rural locations in the South West and we are stepping up our delivery 400 in the next two years. We need to challenge the sector to increase the supply of affordable rural housing and continue to contribute positively to ensure a thriving countryside.”
LiveWest has been working on a number of new housing schemes in rural areas across the region.
The affordability of rural homes was thrown into sharp focus by the MORI Issues Index in March 2018, which found 24% of British adults living in rural areas named housing as one of the most important issues facing Britain. Moreover, with the average annual pay being five per cent lower in rural areas compared to urban centres, it is easy to see why rural housing is a hot topic of debate.