Member Article

Homing in on the Severn Valley

An expanding house builder has committed to invest over £50 million in The Severn Valley, supporting more than 600 jobs and delivering much needed homes across the region.

Wainhomes (Severn Valley) has already acquired seven sites and is currently pursuing four more as it plans to build up to 500 properties a year on as many as 15 developments over the next five years.

Around 70 percent of these homes will be for private sale and the remainder will be built for registered housing providers, for affordable social rent and shared ownership.

From the new head office on the Almondsbury Business Park in Bristol – where the number of employees has now reached 25 as recruitment picks up pace – the company is launching sites across Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

Managing Director, Carl Haley, said: “This is an exciting time for the new Severn Valley operation and Wainhomes. We hope that by investing in the region through the provision of new homes, making financial contributions through Section 106 planning agreements and the Community Investment Levy and providing training and job opportunities, we can play our part in addressing and providing solutions to socio economic challenges.”

Wainhomes (Severn Valley) Limited developments with planning permission in place include The Lilies at Tadpole Garden Village, near Swindon, delivering 146 homes; Blenheim Heights at Charlton Hayes, north Bristol, providing 98 homes; Saxon Meadows at South Cerney, in the Cotswolds, comprising 92 homes and Woodshaw Gardens in Royal Wootton Bassett, with 46 homes. Awaiting detailed planning approval are developments at Chippenham, Cam and Twigworth, which would deliver a total of 236 properties.

From 2016 to 2036 the affordable housing target for the West of England is 24,500 ^, homes in a range of tenures and unit types, which is a priority in all UK residential dwelling projects.

Carl added: “The West of England’s key challenge is how to accommodate and deliver much needed new homes, jobs and infrastructure alongside protecting and enhancing its unique built and natural environments. It is this combination that will create viable, healthy and attractive communities in which people can take pride.”

Wainhomes already has well established regional operations in the North West and South West of England. In addition, a specialist division – HIMOR – focuses on complicated brown field sites and property investments that have long term redevelopment potential.

In the year ending June 2019, the company successfully completed nearly 1,000 new home sales from the North West and South West offices - a record year.

^ Statistics taken from West of England Joint Spatial Plan, November 2017

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Dobbie .