Housing developments seem to be springing up in every neighbourhood across Suffolk but rising house prices means locals are still being pushed out - but not in Lavenham.
Data from Zoopla shows house prices have risen by 43% in the area so to help ensure local people can stay within the village the Lavenham Community Land Trust formed a partnership with Hastoe to develop a disused maintenance depot into a high-quality housing development.
The partnership was formed with the sole purpose of providing new homes that are prioritised for people with a local connection to Lavenham and kept affordable forever.
The new homes will help young families and key workers, among others, to stay in the village. They have been provided in a range of sizes and tenures to meet their needs.
Three of the homes have been made available for affordable rent and five for shared ownership. They include mix of one to three bedroom houses, plus three bungalows.
Designed to fit in with the character of the village, the colours of the homes were inspired by Lavenham’s medieval houses. They’ve also been built to a high sustainability standard to help reduce fuel bills for residents, making them more affordable to live in and run than other homes.
South Suffolk MP, James Cartlidge said: “Having broken ground on this project, I was honoured to open the Peek Close development.
"By delivering these homes through their neighbourhood plan, the development has buy-in from the local community, and provides homes for families with a connection to the village.
"They are sustainable homes, painted in the traditional colouring seen across South Suffolk’s villages and are specifically designed to provide a clear line of sight to Lavenham’s historic church tower.
"This is an inspiring project and an exemplar of what can be achieved by ambitious communities and through collaboration between all the key local stakeholders.
"I would like to pass on my congratulations to all of the organisations and individuals involved.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here