16 new homes for Nether Stowey

A deal has been struck that will see a multi-million-pound development of low-cost rented homes become available in a village on the edge of the Quantock Hills.

A £1.5m grant from government organisation Homes England to  Homes in Sedgemoor (HiS) has helped secure the deal which will see 16 brand-new homes made available to local people on the new Cricketer Farm development in Nether Stowey.

Thanks to the grant the homes will be available at what is called a Social Rent, rather than at the more expensive ‘affordable’ level.

The Homes England grant will be combined with £180,000 from the EDF Housing Mitigation Fund and significant capital investment by Sedgemoor District Council (SDC) to buy the 16 homes which are being built by developers Strongvox.

Housing Development Manager Duncan Harvey from HiS said: “We have been working closely with Nether Stowey Parish Council to bring genuinely affordable, high-quality homes to the village. Homes in Sedgemoor is delighted to report such a positive outcome from our collective efforts. Local people with a housing need, and who have the strongest connection with Nether Stowey, will be given the highest priority for the new homes. We will be organising a future drop-in session so that potential applicants can find out more about what is available and register their interest. This is a great opportunity for people to live affordably within a community in a place they have a strong connection to.”

Following the move to a Unitary Authority on April 1, Somerset Council will own the properties. They will be available on a rental basis and applicants will need to be registered with Homefinder Somerset. Homes in Sedgemoor plans to make the first four new homes ready for occupation in the summer of this year, with six more coming in October, and the remaining six in October 2024. The 16 houses are made up as follows:

•       6 x 2-bedroom flats,

•       6 x 2-bedroom houses,

•       3 x 3-bedroom houses and

•       1 x 3-bedroom house suitable for wheelchair users

Information on which homes will be available at each stage is to be confirmed soon.