Major new affordable homes projects underway

Published by Steve Murphy for Sentinel Housing Association Ltd in Housing and also in Communities

NORTH HAMPSHIRES biggest landlord has announced £37m of investment in four developments to provide nearly 200 extra affordable homes.

In Basingstoke, Sentinel Housing Association has recently started on former NHS and MoD sites at Park Prewett and Bramley to deliver 96 houses and apartments for rent and shared ownership. Work to demolish old NHS offices at Harness House started last week, which will see 24 rented and 26 shared ownership properties completed over the next 12 months. Meanwhile, at Bramley Green, work on a phase of 46 houses and apartments for social renting has been started by Sentinel.

This week, the Housing Corporation boosted the Harness House project by allocating £2.57m of government subsidy to keep rents down.

Over in Farnborough, Sentinel is working with Cove Construction on 23 houses and apartments in Victoria Road, while in Crimea Road, Aldershot contractors Osborne are about to start a new development of 73 apartments. Both schemes provide a mix of affordable rent and shared ownership.

Sentinel Assistant Director Julie Porter said: Theres an impression that building work has ground to a halt, so were delighted to announce another 200 affordable homes to help those on low incomes in North Hampshire into accommodation. In current market conditions, its good news that housing associations are able to play a central role in helping Basingstoke and Rushmoor councils meet ambitious housing quotas.

Housing Corporation South East Director Fiona Cruikshank added: I am delighted that Housing Corporation funding of almost £12 million is contributing to the schemes at Harness House, Park Prewett, Bramley Green and Crimea Road. With the Housing Market going through a difficult time it is encouraging to see these schemes providing much needed affordable homes for rent and sale contributing to the regeneration of the area and helping to make a difference to local people in the Basingstoke and Aldershot areas.