SEVEN NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR LOCAL PEOPLE HANDED OVER IN SWANTON NOVERS
The keys to seven new homes in Swanton Novers have been handed over, marking the completion of a project which has seen the local community come together to form a partnership to help provide affordable homes for people with connections to the village.
Ian Watson, secretary of Swanton Novers Community Land Trust, Jenny Watson, chair of Broadland Housing Association, and Cllr Jill Boyle, portfolio holder for housing and people services at North Norfolk District Council, received the keys to the new homes from Nick Suiter of Norfolk-based contractor EN Suiter, which has built the new homes.
The four bungalows and three houses will be made available under a local lettings policy, with priority given to those in housing need who have a strong connection to the village.
The development was made possible after local landowner Lord Hastings donated the land. He has previously donated land for Swanton Novers Village Hall as well as two other affordable housing developments which have been brought forward by Broadland Housing.
The land was taken under the guardianship of the newly-formed Swanton Novers Community Land Trust, which, in liaison with the local community, appointed Broadland Housing Association to build and manage the new affordable homes.
Ian Watson, secretary of the Swanton Novers Community land Trust, said, “When we formed the Community Land Trust, we had a vision to create beautiful, high-quality homes for affordable rent, homes we could be truly proud of. Standing here today, I can say without hesitation, that vision has been delivered.
“Today is a story about what becomes possible when you have great partners, each one fully committed, fully in tune with each other, and united by a shared determination to produce a development to be genuinely proud of.”
Jenny Watson, chair of Broadland Housing Association, said, “This project has been a particular pleasure to work on because of the supportive and friendly community. That community-led approach has really helped to enhance the scheme and build something here in Swanton Novers that really enhances the village.
“The design is a mock farmyard conversion, and it looks really good in the village setting and in the wider landscape.”
Cllr Jill Boyle, portfolio holder for housing and people services at North Norfolk District Council, said, “We are exceptionally proud of the Swanton Novers community, coming together to create this new affordable housing development and make it part of their village.
“Households from the local community will be given priority to rent one of the new affordable homes which have a high level of energy efficiency with solar panels and air source heat pumps to keep the running costs low.
“This is a real testament to show how a village can work together for the benefit of their community.”
Funding for construction has been provided by Broadland Housing, North Norfolk District Council and Homes England.
The new affordable homes comprise one one-bedroom bungalow, three two-bedroom bungalows and three three-bedroom houses. The development has been designed by Mole Architects in the style of a mock farmyard conversion so that it sits sympathetically in the wider village landscape. The homes have a high level of energy efficiency, with air source heat pumps, triple glazing and photovoltaic solar panels.
The new homes have been built by EN Suiter & Sons of King’s Lynn, project managed by Aecom. Rossi Long Consulting advised on Nutrient Neutrality mitigation, and CJ Yardley Survey and Design is providing arboriculture and landscaping services.