lottery boost for the community hall in its - Charmouth

Grand Opening Of The Heritage Mews
Representatives from West Dorset District Council,
Charmouth Parish Council and construction partners
Rok joined in the celebrations at the opening of the
Heritage Mews development as the ribbon was cut by
local schoolboy Jamie Thomas, whose suggestion of the
new name for the development had been chosen. One
close neighbour to the scheme, Mrs Lilley Bagley, was
among those to compliment the building and the workforce,
who she said were always very courteous and considerate.
The guests were full of praise for the development, and
many commented on how well it blended in with the area.
All of the homes have been allocated according to a ‘local
lettings’ policy, which required applicants to have a strong
local connection with Charmouth, thereby providing much
needed affordable homes for local people.
The homes have been built following the generous provision
of land by West Dorset District Council, allowing Yarlington
Housing Group to develop part of the under-used car park.
By working closely with Charmouth Parish Council
throughout the whole planning and design process, the
scheme also benefits the local community with other
environmental improvements to the area, including the
resurfacing of the car park adjacent to the project and the
building of a new toilet block.
Two years after first proposed, the controversial
affordable housing development in St Andrew’s Road
car park has been completed and provides eleven
homes for local people on the West Dorset Council
housing list.
Built by Rok Construction, the three houses and eight flats
are highly insulated, electrically powered and incorporate
‘green’ building features, including a ground source heat
pump system which provides low-cost heating and hot
water. There are even two bat nest boxes!
Tim Holmes, living in number 1 Heritage Close, is delighted
with his new 3-bed home and praised Yarlington Housing
Association for their attention to detail.
He said all the prospective tenants were invited to
Yarlington’s headquarters in Yeovil on 6th August to sign
Tenancy Agreements, view a video on Good Neighbours,
receive information packs and best of all, some shiny new
keys to their future homes.
Ribbon cutting by Jamie
Thomas to mark opening of
new development. With
him (l to r) Roger Powell,
Chairman of Yarlington
Housing Group; Charlie
Scherer, Operations
Director of Housing Rok;
Robert Gould, Leader of
WDDC; Geoff Joy, Head of
Housing WDDC; Mike Kay,
Chief Executive Yarlington
Housing Group.
Roger Powell, chairman of Yarlington Housing Group said
“This is our first project in West Dorset, and we are delighted
with the outcome. It is vital that there is affordable housing
in the area enabling local people to remain here. The
homes look fantastic; we are very proud of this
development, and of the way that all of the parties have
worked together to enable this to come about.”
Robert Gould, Leader of West Dorset District Council, said
“Providing decent, affordable homes for local people is the
district council’s top priority. I am thrilled that by handing
over this underused land, which represents an investment
of around £425,000, the district council has helped another
eleven families improve their life by moving into a new
home.”
The development is located within the conservation area,
and as such the properties have been finished in a material
similar to the local stone, designed to fit in with the
aesthetic beauty of their surroundings. Although the site is
within the permitted development area, as it is a rural
scheme it incorporates many sustainable elements within
the build, including Ground Source Heat Pumps providing
an environmentally preferable supply of energy.
Amanda Matthews
Yarlington Housing Group
Home Sweet Home
Tim explained that the company tries to foster a close-knit
community within all new developments, and as several
tenants already knew each other it was easier in this case -
they’ve helped one other with removals and have already
had neighbourhood barbeques.
Controversial it may have been, but there’s no doubting the
happiness of Charmouth’s latest eleven local people in
having homes of
their own at last.
Colin Pring
The pastel colours
and varied roof
line are attractive
and a great
improvement on
the former untidy
clutter of recycling
bins.
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