29 new affordable homes for Bridgwater

£4.3 Million affordable housing investment for Bridgwater town centre  

The cost of living in the middle of Bridgwater is to plummet for 29 new households. In a radical move, homes that are part of a £4.3 million housing development in the centre of the town are to be made available at a low rent to local people. The development is part of a dramatic expansion in the availability of affordable homes in the Sedgemoor area.

The 29 homes are being built on the Bigwood and Staple Printworks site in the town centre. The printworks was destroyed in an arson attack in 2007 and has been vacant ever since.

Originally planned as a private open market development of townhouses, the entire site has been bought by Sedgemoor District Council and will be available at what is designated a ‘Social Rent’ through social housing provider Homes in Sedgemoor.

Tenants will pay around £80 a week for these properties, under half the current private rental market rate. The new houses have been designed to suit people looking for a good quality, low impact, town centre home. Homes in Sedgemoor will be working to ensure the homes go to those who need them most of all. The current application rules will change for this development which will allow broader opportunities for those in housing need to find an affordable home.

Applicants will still need to register on Homefinder Somerset. The usual priority system will not apply in this case, with anyone who fits the profile for the new homes, no matter which band they have been allocated, eligible to rent one of the properties.

The new homes will be particularly attractive for people who want to live and work in Bridgwater or who can travel to work on public transport. The houses will come with single parking spaces and without gardens but will have landscaped surrounds, external cycle storage and bin stores. Internally they will be insulated for sound and have specialised air conditioning installed to control internal condensation and reduce the chance of mould developing. Sustainable energy options are being explored as an alternative to gas.

As well as welcoming new tenants to their first affordable home they will also be suitable for those who wish to downsize to a smaller, more energy-efficient property, freeing up a bigger home for a family that needs it. The homes will also target individuals, couples, those wishing to work from home, or perhaps those who have a need for overnight carers. The low rent and smaller second bedroom will make them suitable for households that do not have full-time access to their children.

The homes will be available from Easter 2023.

Peter Hatch, Chief Executive of Homes in Sedgemoor said:

“We are hugely excited at the prospect of managing these new homes in Bridgwater town centre, providing much needed affordable housing for people in the town. It is the first of a series of new and innovative social housing developments across Sedgemoor that we are involved with, working in partnership with Sedgemoor District Council.”

Sedgemoor, which paid £4,339,084 for the development, has overseen the delivery of more than 450 new affordable homes in the district since April 2019.