Selwood Housing, a local housing association based in Wiltshire, has secured planning permission to transform the disused former Margaret Stancomb school site in Trowbridge, into much needed affordable housing.
The town centre site has been derelict for over ten years, since the former school joined with Bellefield primary school.
Barry Hughes, Selwood Housing Group chief executive said,
As a local housing association based in Trowbridge, we're delighted that our plans to develop this brownfield site have been well received. Our plans are to regenerate this site sympathetically, centered around the 19th century school building, which we will retain and convert into 3 shared ownership homes. We will also build a further 18 affordable homes on the site for both shared ownership and social rent. The shared ownership homes will help local families get on to the housing ladder and homes for social rent provide lower cost rented homes on a secure basis.
Housing associations are a key provider of new homes in the UK. In the 12 months up to and including December 2018, housing associations started building 44,770 homes, according to the National Housing Federation.
Barry Hughes added,
We are due to begin works on the development in July this year, with the first homes due to be completed in spring 2020. We had a really positive response to the news we had purchased this site, which holds a lot of memories for many local people. We will be updating our website and social media pages with news as work progresses.
Phil Barnes, associate director from construction company E G Carter & Go LTD said,
We are delighted to have supported Selwood Housing Group in securing planning permission for the redevelopment of the former Margaret Stancomb school, and are looking forward to commencing works in the coming weeks.
If you have any questions regarding the former Margaret Stancomb school site, please call us on 01225 715 715.
