Lockwood residents given opportunity to live in affordable homes

Residents in the Chichester District are being offered a rare opportunity to secure an affordable new home in Loxwood.

Housing provider Stonewater has built 50 high-quality, affordable and energy efficient houses and flats at Pond Copse Lane, off Guildford Road, in the rural village of Loxwood.

It is anticipated that the homes will be available from September, either for rent, or to buy through one of the government’s home ownership schemes and interested residents are encouraged to register their interest early.

Of these, 30 are affordable rental properties that will be allocated through the council’s housing register. Two one-bedroom flats, four two-bedroom flats, 14 two-bedroom houses, seven three-bedroom houses and three four-bedroom houses are available and applicants with a local connection to the Parish of Loxwood will be given priority for affordable rental properties.

Thirteen three-bedroom houses are also available for shared ownership. Shared ownership is a scheme which offers aspiring homeowners the chance to buy a share of their home and pay subsidised rent on the remaining share. There is the option to buy a larger share later – also known as staircasing – and the rent will reduce proportionally. Through staircasing, residents can eventually own all of their home.

In addition, seven rent to buy properties are available, including four two-bedroom houses, one three-bedroom house and two four-bedroom houses. Rent to buy is a government scheme designed to ease the transition from renting to buying a home by providing subsidised rent. It provides working households with the opportunity to save for a deposit to go on and purchase a house in the future.

“Helping people to get on the housing ladder and access affordable housing is a top priority for us,” says Councillor Alan Sutton, Cabinet Member for Housing, Communications, Licensing and Events at Chichester District Council.

“This new development will provide much needed affordable housing and we want to make sure that local people are aware of this one-off opportunity to live in the beautiful village of Loxwood.

“Residents wanting to apply for the rental properties must first sign up to the council’s housing register before they can apply for a home to rent. Once accepted, applicants will be able to browse and bid for housing, such as the homes at Loxwood. For residents wanting to buy a home the government offers a range of options, including the help to buy shared ownership scheme which helps people get onto the property ladder.”

Marie Riordan, Director of Development (South and Central) at Stonewater, added: “We’re proud to be providing these much-needed energy efficient affordable homes at Pond Copse Lane. This new development is giving local people, whether they are aspiring homeowners or individuals and families looking for an affordable rented flat or house, an opportunity to have a place that they can call home.”

Picture: Chichester District Council