WORK STARTS ON 24 NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES AT BACTON
Work has started on the construction of 24 new affordable homes at Bacton, following a ceremony yesterday (Wednesday 21st December).
Victory Housing Trust chief executive John Archibald joined Paul Pitcher, managing director of constructor Wellington to cut the first sod on the site, off Coast Road in the village.
Nineteen homes for affordable rental and five homes for shared ownership are to be built on a former touring caravan site behind The Duke pub. The new homes are due to be handed over at the end of next year.
Lowestoft based Wellington negotiated the purchase of the site for affordable housing when the previous owners ceased trading. The land had already been identified in the North Norfolk District Council Local Development Framework as suitable for residential development, and the firm brought forward a proposal for 24 affordable homes.
“We are always proactive in looking for opportunities to develop affordable housing, and this is a very good example of that,” said Paul Pitcher. “We have worked regularly with Victory, and so when we brought the land and the proposal to them, they were very happy to become a partner in the project.”
Victory chief executive John Archibald added, “This is a great example of partnership between a developer and ourselves to create a substantial number of new affordable homes in a coastal village.
“We recognise that the need for affordable housing in villages is every bit as pressing as it is in our market towns, and this development at Bacton demonstrates that we are committed to building new affordable homes wherever they are needed."
The new development will consist of six one-bedroom flats; one one-bedroom house; four one-bedroom bungalows; eight two-bedroom houses; one two-bedroom wheelchair-accessible bungalow; three three-bedroom houses; and one four-bedroom house.
In addition to the new affordable homes, and as part of the planning permission for them, a new car park will be provided for The Duke public house, which remains very much open for business.
Since coming into existence in 2006, Victory has completed 736 new affordable homes, with a further 126 currently being constructed.