Sovereign tackles rural housing crisis in Wargrave
19.07.2011
The first rural exception housing scheme in Wokingham Borough was unveiled in the village of Wargrave on Thursday 14 July, during Rural Housing Week.
The ceremony at Sovereign South+West’s Kings Acre development in Wargrave marks an important step in tackling the lack of affordable homes in the Berkshire countryside. It consists of 10 new affordable homes: seven houses and apartments for rent and three houses for purchase through shared ownership.
Kings Acre is a rural exception site, a small development that falls outside normal local housing plans with the purpose of providing affordable housing to local people, allowing them to remain in their community. The scheme was started after the Parish Council, supported by the Berkshire rural housing enabler, conducted a survey which established a need for affordable housing in the village.
Richard Bush, Chairman of Wargrave Parish Council, told those gathered at the opening ceremony: "We feel inordinately proud that the process we started over five years ago has come to fruition. I hope that this is a blueprint that others will feel able to follow."
Rural Housing Week is aimed at demonstrating the important role affordable housing plays in sustaining small rural communities. The ‘affordability gap’ between wages and house prices has widened over the past decade in every rural district in England, with house prices having risen at over three times the rate of local salaries.
As a consequence, many people, especially young families, are being priced out of their communities. This has a knock-on effect on local services such as shops, schools and pubs.
Speaking at the Wargrave opening ceremony, Ron Manley, Chairman of Sovereign South+West, said: "The average home in rural areas costs 14 times local incomes in the South East. It is important therefore that we remain committed to providing affordable homes for local people and that we give local people the opportunity to influence and contribute to the growth of their communities."
"We cannot do this alone. We are unable to provide affordable housing without the support and collaboration of local authorities, parish councils and other housing providers; without landowners making suitable land available for development; and lastly without the support of local communities."
Kings Acre was supported with an investment of £452,000 from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Each home has been built to meet level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and benefits from solar panels, assisting with the provision of hot water.
Notes to editors
If you would like more information, please contact Roy Probert, Public Relations Manager for Sovereign, on 01635 277406, or email roy.probert@sovereign.org.uk.
