14 January 2011
South Lakeland to receive affordable housing boost
Hawkshead First School is to be converted to a 2 bedroom house
Two Castles Housing Association is set to build new affordable homes for people in South Lakeland following crucial support from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
The Hawkshead First School scheme will provide five new homes for rent. Situated on Main Street in the centre of the Village, the old school building will be converted into a two bedroom house. Four other new homes will also be built on the development.The new homes are anticipated to be completed by summer 2011.
Rob Brittain, Property Services Director at Two Castles Housing Association, said: “Two Castles is committed to providing high quality, affordable homes and there is a definite demand for this in South Lakeland. We are extremely pleased to be working with a whole host of invaluable partners on this development including the HCA, Cumbria County Council, the Lake District National Park and South Lakeland District Council and look forward to completion late summer.”
HCA investment of £232,000 has been provided for the scheme together with £34,000 from South Lakeland District Council meaning work can now begin at the site. All of the homes will be available for rent to people with a local connection and will be built to Code for Sustainable Homes level 3.
Deborah McLaughlin, executive director North West at the HCA, said: “I am pleased that the Hawkshead First School scheme can now be built with our support. We have worked closely with Two Castles Housing Association and South Lakeland Council throughout the planning process to help bring these high quality new affordable homes forward and I am sure that they will prove popular with local people.”
Cllr Peter Thornton, SLDC portfolio holder for Housing and Development, said: “I’m delighted that these new affordable homes are being built in an area which desperately needs new homes.
“This development means five families will get a home who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. There are many challenges in South Lakeland from high house prices to large numbers of second homes – these can all stop local people getting the homes they need. But by working with the HCA and our housing association partners, the council can continue to tackle the challenge of building new affordable homes.”
Progress at the scheme represents a valuable contribution towards the government’s aim of building 150,000 new affordable homes over the next five years.
