Developments

The Site

Local authority: Vale of White Horse District Council
 
Client: Sovereign Housing Association

Contractor: Leadbitter Construction

Architect: Sovereign Housing Group

Cost: £1.6m (HC grant £468,000)

Number: 13 (11 for rent plus 2 shared owners

Sovereign is a founder member of the Oxfordshire Rural Housing Partnership – an alliance of four housing associations and four district councils committed to building 500 rural homes by 2009/10.

Part of this involves working with parish councils in rural settlements to identify land. In 2005, Marcham (pop 2200) Parish Council approached us to see if we could provide a small scheme.

The local rural housing enabler calculated that 13 homes would be needed, and the parish indicated that a parcel of unused farmland off a cul-de-sac at Longfields, to the north of the village, would be ideal.

Sovereign bought the land from farmer William Cumber, and secured planning consent in April 2006.

The Scheme

This mixed development reflects local housing need, comprising 4 x 1 bed flats, 2 x 2 bed bungalow, 3 x 2 bed houses, 2 x 3 bed houses and 2 x 4 bed houses. (Density: 33 per ha).
The two shared ownership properties have an 80% equity cap to ensure they remain available to meet local housing needs.

This development has been built in facing brickwork with an internal timber frame, concrete roof tiles and upvc windows and doors, and has been designed to complement the existing adjacent housing.  The scheme includes standard house types devised by our in-house architects.

Longfields is a very sustainable location, with doctor’s, school, post office, pub and bus routes all close by. The scheme achieved Secured by Design, Eco Homes Very Good and achieved a 73% HQI rating upon completion.