LiveWest set to build 218 rural homes in Devon over the next two years

A leading housing association is set to build 218 homes in rural areas across Devon over the next two years.

In a week when the housing sector celebrates Rural Housing Week – a yearly event organised by the National Housing Federation – LiveWest has demonstrated its commitment to rural housing by building 508 rural homes in the past two years.

LiveWest has invested close to £44m in rural homes during the last financial year having built 264 homes in rural areas.

In the last two years, LiveWest has built 31 homes in Crediton, 21 homes in Bovey Tracey, and Kingsteignton and 13 in South Brent.

It means almost 30 per cent of homes developed by LiveWest in Devon were classed as rural.

Now the housing provider is stepping up its commitment to building more rural homes across the county.

LiveWest partnered with Dartmoor National Park Authority, Teignbridge District Council, and local developers Coyde Construction to develop a scheme for 39 affordable homes in Ashburton – the first major affordable housing development in the town for 22 years.

Work started to develop four-acre site in March last year and some of the homes are now completed as residents prepare to move in during August

The development includes a range of homes, from one to four-bedroom properties, including a two-bedroom bungalow which will be specifically built for a wheelchair user. The homes will be a mix of 25 social rent and 14 shared ownership properties.

Jake and Robyn Laskey, both 25, who are currently renting a small flat with no garden, have just secured one of the social rent homes on the development.

Robyn, a mother-of-two, said: “It’s going to really improve things for us and change our lives. Especially for our eldest daughter who has been asking Santa for a garden for the past five years. This is going to have such a positive impact on all of us.

“The houses are just so beautiful. We’ve got two daughters and they are desperate for a garden and the gardens here are so big – they couldn’t be better. So, we couldn’t be happier with being able to move to this development.

“LiveWest has been fabulous I couldn’t fault them. Everyone has just been really good.

“The quality of the homes is amazing. They’re so much better and bigger than we thought they would be. They look so good they’re a really good addition to the town.”

The second phase of new affordable homes being built in the village of Uffculme are due to complete next month.

The first residents will be able to move into their new homes from September as part of the second phase of development of 30 homes at the idyllic rural location.

The first phase of the major housing development was completed last year which included 11 homes for rent, 10 for shared ownership and 39 for open market sale.

Leon Harris, Senior Development Manager for LiveWest, said: “These further 30 homes at Uffculme are supporting the growth of 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.

“In total across the two phases we will be providing 32 low-cost homes supporting many local families that would be otherwise priced out of the area to stay within their community.

“Alongside the homes we are also providing large green open-spaces for the residents, as well as a financial contribution towards the up-grade of off-site play areas within the village, and a large financial contribution towards primary and secondary schooling in Uffculme.”

Elsewhere in the county, LiveWest will develop 41 homes in Bovey Tracey, 14 in Beer and 13 in Budleigh.

The National Housing Federation’s Rural Housing Week takes place 4-8 July to promote the work housing associations are doing in rural towns and villages across the country.

It aims to shine the spotlight on the investment housing associations are making in rural communities and the role they play in offering a lifeline to local people in our market towns and villages.

This year’s theme is ‘levelling up rural communities’ which will highlight the many ways housing associations are working to support the levelling up agenda in rural areas.

Gareth Jones, Development Director for LiveWest, said: “It is great to be able celebrate rural housing and the vital role it plays in helping to sustain communities in rural areas.

“At LiveWest, we are committed to strengthening and supporting rural communities by creating access to excellent affordable housing.

“We know the huge difference that affordable homes make to local people in rural areas when they want to stay in an area for work or family reasons.

“Housing associations have a key role to play in supporting local communities coupled with providing homes that people love to live in. We are committed to supporting all our communities, including those who live in rural areas.

“Over the past two years, we have delivered over 508 homes in rural locations in the South West. We are committed to increasing the supply of affordable rural housing in our towns and villages and to contributing positively to communities across Devon.”