Peterborough area affordable housing development nears completion

Platform Housing Group will hand over the final keys to homes at Croft Close, Cowbit, near Spalding early next month.

Built on a former agricultural field, it is the social landlord’s latest development within Lincolnshire, offering a mixture of affordable homes for shared ownership and rent.

The 32 homes are made up of 14 for affordable rent and 18 shared ownership.

The scheme – which began in March 2019 - has been made possible by grant funding from Homes England, Recycled Capital Grant Funding as well as Group funds.

Those involved in the new development – which cost a total of £4,705,898.00 - included the developer D Brown Building Contractors, South Holland District Council, employer’s agent Thornton and Firkin and architect Lincs Design.

Jamie Atkins, who moved into his new home on the development in December, said: “I want to say a big thank you to all those who worked on the development, particularly the site manager.

“My new home is absolutely perfect. I have lived in other new builds before moving into Croft Close, so was expecting a number of new home issues. However, we have had next to none and the few slight niggles have been dealt with both swiftly and to an excellent standard. Nothing has been too much trouble.

“Thank you to all those involved and their fantastic service.”

Jessica Thomas, Project Manager at Platform Housing Group said: “These new homes will form a high quality and sustainable affordable housing development that meets the needs of local people.

“Ensuring people have access to social housing is of vital importance in today’s climate.

“Importantly, the homes are in a rural community which will help to sustain village services in the future. The development has proved to be particularly popular with people wanting to own their own homes in the village of Cowbit where many of them have a connection.

“We look forward to completion of the project and welcoming the remaining residents into their new homes.”

Platform Housing Group – which owns 46,000 homes in total – completed 1,448 homes in 2019/20 (1,598 in 2018/19) at an investment of £258m (£228m in 2018/19). The Group also built 981 more social rented homes during the past two years in England than any other provider, they built 523 in 2019/20, almost 33 per cent of the total homes built.

Platform Housing Group’s operating area stretches from Herefordshire in the west to the Lincolnshire coast in the East, and from the Derbyshire Dales in the North to the Cotswolds in the South.