15 NEW AFFORDABLE HOMES IN HUNSTANTON HANDED OVER
Fifteen new affordable family homes in Hunstanton have been handed over – and are destined to meet the housing needs of local people.
Victory Housing Trust has taken possession of the homes, on Waveney Road, from builder John Young Homes – and now they will be allocated to people with housing need in Hunstanton itself, or from the neighbouring parishes of Old Hunstanton, Holme-Next-The-Sea and Heacham, under a ‘Local Lettings’ policy.
The new homes were made possible by a £1.67 million investment by Victory, together with a £262,500 grant from the Homes & Communities Agency, and a £265,000 contribution from King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council.
John Archibald, chief executive of Victory Housing Trust, received the keys from Jason Goodey, construction manager at John Young Homes, watched by Cllr Richard Birdof KLWNBC, and Carol Bower, Mayor of Hunstanton.
The new development consists of four one-bedroom flats, two two-bedroom flats, five two-bedroom houses, three three-bedroom houses and one three-bedroom wheelchair accessible bungalow.
The land was owned by KLWNBC, which wanted affordable homes to be built on the site. Negotiations began in 2011, and planning consent was granted in February 2013.
John Archibald said, “We are delighted to be taking possession of 15 more new homes; this development brings to 578 the number of new homes we have built since Victory came into existence in 2006 – that is more than one home every six days.
“We have embarked on an ambitious plan to build 1,000 new homes over the next ten years, accelerating our new-build rate to meet rising demand for affordable housing.
“The partnership we have created to build these new homes has also allowed a Local Lettings policy, which means these really will meet the needs of local people in housing need.”
Cllr Richard Bird, said, “Homes like this are exactly what we need in Hunstanton – this is the first affordable homes development of this size in the town for more than 30 years. Victory has done a terrific job here, they are really beautiful homes, which will enable families to live and work in Hunstanton. Now I would like to see this replicated five or six more times in the town.”
Carol Bower said, “I’m really impressed with what has been done here, not just because it is providing much-needed homes for families in Hunstanton, but because the homes are really top quality, with excellent amenities. Given that we have the situation where we have people working in Hunstanton who cannot afford to live in the town, this is just what we need.