Work starts on 23 low-cost homes on car park site

Work has begun to build 23 low-cost homes on a former car park.

The development in Newton Abbot will provide 13 one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom social rented flats on the former Sherborne House car park and Teignbridge Council said it represented a significant step forward in its commitment to delivering affordable housing.

The project has been supported by a £2.7m grant from the government's Homes England Affordable Homes Programme and £525,000 from its Brownfield Land Release Fund.

Town mayor Louise Cooke said: "It's wonderful to see housing for people who are on a lower income, and it's so important that we keep people in the town centre to keep the town alive."

Work is being carried out by Teignmouth-based Nevada Construction, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The homes are set to generate sufficient renewable energy to operate the building throughout the year, helping to reduce energy costs for residents and supporting the council's sustainability objectives. The development also brings a brownfield site back into productive use.

Cooke said housing was expensive in the town, adding "our wages are lower than the national average".

"This will help some people to stay in Newton Abbot. I can't wait to see this project finish, and I hope there'll be more of them as well," she said.

Teignbridge councillor Richard Buscombe, the council's executive member for housing, said it was not "just a one off".

"This is a way that we want to build things in the future, with social rents and low energy costs," Buscombe said.

"We see this as part of revitalising the town centre. People here will shop locally and go to local restaurants and coffee shops, so we see a win-win situation.

"We will be devising a local lettings plan, and these properties will go to local people."

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