The 0.82 acre site forms part of the Culverdale estate, Totnes which formerly had nine 1960’s bungalows built on it.The new development has provided nineteen new homes, all for rent.
Such is the need for affordable, rented properties in the town that one hundred and ninety people bid through the Devon Home Choice system for the new homes. There are currently 829 households on the waiting list requiring Totnes.There are also, currently 2,146 households on the Devon Home Choice housing register in the South Hams.
Support for the £3.2m scheme came from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), together with investment from South Hams District Council and Tor Homes.
The MP will also see where work is underway on phase two of Culverdale, when a further 24 outdated bungalows are being demolished to make way for 39 new affordable homes, designed to the same high standard as Phase one.
This second phase of works at Culverdale which costs £4.67m sees investment from the HCA who have recently invested £1.1m in the regeneration of this area and South Hams District Council is also investing £600,000.
MP for Totnes, Dr. Sarah Wollaston said: “I congratulate Tor Homes on this desperately needed new development and look forward to working with them in the future to help keep up the momentum for more affordable housing in the South Hams.”
Howard Toplis, Chief Executive of Tor Homes said:“There has been limited development opportunity and a huge need for affordable housing in Totnes.The importance of funding from the HCA and South Hams District Council is central to providing these vital new homes and we are grateful to them for making the money available.”
The homes in the first phase of this development have been let in accordance with South Hams District Council’s local Allocations Policy. Priority on the allocation of the new flats has been given to the remaining Tor Homes tenants living in bungalows at Culverdale. The new houses have been built to Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which is a higher environmental standard than a traditionally built new property. Environmentally sustainable features include solar panels to generate hot water and facilities for rain water harvesting to flush the toilet and use the washing machine, which will help make the properties cheaper to run.
The 39 new homes to be built in Phase two will be a mixture of shared ownership (15) and rent (24).