The first of 20 affordable homes for rent being built at a new housing development in Salisbury have been handed over to Wiltshire Council.
Housebuilder Bellway presented the keys to five of the properties at Spirewood Grange, off Odstock Road, to the council’s housing team.
The five homes – which comprise four two-bedroom terraced houses and a three-bedroom detached house – will be open to applications from local people in housing need through Homes4Wiltshire, the council’s choice-based lettings scheme, from Wednesday 15 April.
The remaining 15 properties, which include six one-bedroom apartments, are due to be completed and handed over to the council in phases by spring 2027.
All 20 homes will be managed by the local authority and made available to local people who cannot afford to rent in the private sector. They are among 34 affordable homes being provided by Bellway as part of the planning agreement for the Spirewood Grange development. These also include 14 homes for shared ownership for buyers unable to purchase a home outright.
Bellway is building a total of 86 homes at Spirewood Grange, with 52 of these to be sold on the open market.
Emily Putnam, Sales Manager for Bellway Wessex, said: “The provision of high-quality affordable housing is essential to the creation of strong and inclusive new communities, enabling people with local connections to put down roots in the place they call home. This is especially true in Salisbury, where sharply rising rental costs in the private sector have significantly increased the demand for affordable homes.
“Spirewood Grange is conveniently located just over a mile from Salisbury city centre and is served by regular buses to the city centre and nearby Salisbury District Hospital, making it a suitable choice for people who don’t have their own vehicle. Residents here will also benefit from an area of public open space offering views of the city’s famous cathedral.
“We are proud to be working in partnership with Wiltshire Council to deliver these much-needed affordable homes for Salisbury residents. We look forward to handing over the remaining properties and to seeing them being enjoyed by local people and families.”
Cllr Adrian Foster, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “It’s great to see the first of these affordable homes now completed.
“These homes will be let through Homes4Wiltshire, helping ensure they are allocated to people in housing need and used to provide affordable rented accommodation locally.
“Bringing forward developments like this is an important part of increasing the supply of affordable and social housing in Salisbury, and we look forward to seeing the rest of the homes completed as the project continues.”
For more information about Bellway’s Spirewood Grange development, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/wessex/spirewood-grange or call the sales team on 01722 638949.
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