New Scheme Will Generate 180 New Homes

A housing scheme in Gloucester has taken a significant step forward, with nearly 80 of the homes provided being made available for social rent.

Plans for The Port Way, Bromford Flagship LiveWest’s development off Winnycroft Lane, Matson, have been approved by Gloucester City Council. Work on site starts this summer, with the build handled by BFL’s in-house construction team.

Amanda Swann, regional director for new homes at Bromford Flagship LiveWest, said: “This development is going to make a real difference for local people, many of whom have been waiting for years for an affordable home to call their own.”

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The development will deliver a number of different size homes, from one-bedroom apartments to family size homes. 77 of the homes will be available for social rent, with 59 for shared ownership and the remainder available for market rent. The scheme is being supported by Homes England, the government’s housing delivery agency.

Every home will be built to accessible and adaptable standards, with five built to full wheelchair-user specification, including a through-floor lift in the largest property. Air source heat pumps and solar panels will keep running costs down.

At the centre of the site sits the remains of a medieval moated manor, a scheduled monument that has stood in this corner of Gloucester for hundreds of years. The monument will be retained and protected, set within an open meadow with new footpaths and information boards, so families moving in, and their neighbours, can walk through a piece of living history on their doorstep.

The scheme was publicly backed by local councillors and community organisations including Together in Matson, who told the planning committee that the development would be a major asset for an area that has long needed better-quality affordable homes.

Cllr Luke Shervey, Cabinet Member for Housing at Gloucester City Council, said: “These new homes represent an important investment in our city and will help address the growing demand for affordable housing. I’m pleased we can deliver this in partnership with Bromford, a trusted housing partner within the city.

“By ensuring we have a mixture of tenure types we are delivering for all those in need, including those for rent, shared ownership and those with the aspiration to own their own home.”