The pioneering Kent countryside homes that mean villagers won't be priced out of their communities
A new Kent housing scheme has been created to help villagers who risk being priced out of their communities. The Princess Royal officially opened Carpenter's Yard in Shepherdswell on Wednesday (September 11).
Carpenter's Yard has 13 new homes, of which ten are affordable. It includes a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and two and three-bedroom houses.
Average house prices in Kent are now ten times average incomes, according to specialist rural affordable housing firm English Rural. It created the development in partnership with Coldred Community Land Trust, Dover District Council and the Church Commissioners for England, who provided the land.
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Carpenter's Yard includes three bungalows that will be sold on the open market, generating income that has been used to help fund the affordable homes. English Rural says the bungalows will also provide options for older residents looking to downsize.
Part of the funding for the scheme came through the government's affordable housing agency Homes England.
Martin Collett, chief executive of English Rural, said: "This innovative scheme demonstrates the power community action can have in securing homes that provide local people with somewhere warm, safe and affordable to live. By partnering with the Shepherdswell and Coldred CLT, Dover District Council and the Church Commissioners, we've created a sustainable solution that will benefit this rural community for generations to come."
Alan Smith, First Church Estates Commissioner, said: "Rural communities embody what is excellent and precious about England. Yet they face a critical shortage of safe, secure, and affordable housing.
"The development reflects a shared vision of the Church Commissioners and our partners, the community-run Shepherdswell and Coldred CLT, English Rural and Dover County Council, and we hope it serves as a blueprint for similar schemes across the country."
Chair of Shepherdswell Parish Council, Cllr Mark Watson, added: "Carpenter's Yard is a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together. This development ensures that local people and key workers can continue to live and work in the village they call home. It's a proud day for Shepherdswell and a model for rural communities across the country."
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