Building a better future for rural communities
To celebrate Rural Housing Week this year, Herefordshire Council is shining a spotlight on the work it is doing to meet the housing needs within the county.
The council's Strategic Housing Team is working hard to meet the challenges of ensuring that affordable, good quality homes are there for people who need them. This is not an easy challenge, with the current cost of living crisis affecting how tenants can afford to pay their rent, home owners pay their mortgages and how people can afford to get on the property ladder for the first time.
The team work in close partnership with a range of organisations, including housing associations (registered providers), private developers and the government, to ensure that the most appropriate affordable housing is being built and obtained to meet the needs of local people. Whether for social housing rent, shared ownership or outright sale at below the market price, the team is constantly negotiating and planning to ensure these are delivered for the county.
There is also more specialist accommodation that is vital to meet local needs. The county has an Accessible Housing Register for those who are disabled or have limited mobility and the Strategic Housing Team negotiate both new builds and adapt existing properties to meet the needs of the individual or family.
Over 500 new affordable housing to be delivered by March 2024
Building on the success of having already delivered just under 300 properties last year, Strategic Housing are delighted to report that there are a further 508 properties due to be delivered by March 2024.
This new-build affordable housing will be provided across 14 sites in Herefordshire, from rural areas such as Ewyas Harold and St Weonards through to Ledbury and Hereford.
These will consist of 1,2,3 and 4 bed properties, including social housing for rent, shared ownership, specialist flats for over 55s, accessible housing and for outright sale discounted below market value.
The Strategic Housing Team would like to thank all the partners involved in this delivery and look forward to working together to plan more for future years.
Shared ownership
Video of one of Stonewater's properties for shared ownership.
Affordable housing
Video of one of Stonewater's properties for affordable rent.
Further information
To find out more about these developments, see our current affordable developments page.
If you have a query about buying an affordable property, please contact the Strategic Housing Team on 01432 260269 or email housingdevelopment@herefordshire.gov.uk