A new development of affordable housing in the Forest of Dean will help local communities, according to the area’s MP.
Matt Bishop visited the Chapel Gate site with housing association Platform Housing Group which will manage the 40 apartments and homes that were recently completed, all offering accommodation at affordable rent.
It is the first time Platform has built in the Forest of Dean, partnering with developer Aqua Construction which built the homes using modern methods and a combination of traditional brick and stone complimenting the surrounding environment.
Upon visiting the site, Matt Bishop MP said: “This development provides much needed affordable homes for people in the Forest of Dean. When homes are built in the right locations, they help local people stay in their communities and projects like Chapel Gate support access to good quality housing locally.”
Construction began in 2022 but came to a halt when the previous building firm entered into financial difficulty, meaning a new partner, Aqua Construction, were appointed.
Craig King, Construction Manager at Aqua Construction said: “We successfully completed an unfinished development after taking over from a previous contractor. Our team worked diligently to stabilise progress on the stalled site and restore confidence in the project and wider community.
“We are proud to apply our expertise to ensure every home is delivered to the standard residents deserve. By working closely with the Platform team, we helped re-establish trust in local housing delivery and ensured this site became a well integrated and responsibly managed part of the town.”
Upon finishing this development, Platform is soon to deliver more affordable housing elsewhere in the area in Coleford.
Pawel Wiktor, Regional Head of Delivery at Platform Housing Group said:
“The development looks great and we thank the partners at Aqua, Homes England and the local authority for their hard work in achieving completion of the homes. Bringing affordable housing to communities like the one here in Newent offer valuable ways of keeping families together and strengthening the area as a whole. Our teams and colleagues are looking forward to working with the community to support them now they have the security that comes with a place to call home. We’re proud to have delivered Chapel Gate for the Forest of Dean and hope to continue providing more homes for more people in the coming years.”
Councillor Adrian Birch, Leader of Forest of Dean District Council said: “It is especially important that new developments increase the number of affordable homes in our district and meet the unique needs of residents in each area.
“The 40 property development at Watery Lane in Newent contains a mix of affordable rental and shared ownership homes, providing quality, affordable housing that will help more Forest residents take their first step onto the housing ladder.
“I look forward to seeing the long term benefits that this development will bring to the community of Newent in the coming years.”
As a registered provider of social housing, Platform own more than 50,000 homes across the Midlands and offer affordable housing and support to more than 120,000 customers.