CONTRACTS for a £38 million, mixed tenure housing development in Westfield were signed and sealed in London on Friday, with delivery of the first affordable homes expected in early 2015.
Work on the 371-home Kingsmoor Park project, off Moor Lane and near Westfield Common, is underway, and is to be completed in a steady stream over the next two years, thanks to a Government initiative.
Portfolio holder for housing, Councillor David Bittleston (right), said: “We are absolutely delighted. As a result of four years’ hard work, Woking will have 224 new, top-spec affordable homes delivered at no cost to Woking taxpayers. A great result.”
Planning consent was given for 224 affordable rented homes and 147 for market sale. Of the total, almost 80 per cent will be houses and around 20 per cent apartments.
Evolution – a consortium bet-ween Thames Valley Housing and Kier – have signed contracts with Woking Borough Council, as part of the Priority Homes Project, to provide the development in one of the highest value areas in the South East.
Having satisfied a rigorous value-for-money test by HM Treasury, the consortium will receive Private Finance Initiative credit from the Homes & Communities Agency. The 224 homes will be built by Kier, and managed and maintained by Thames Valley Housing for 25 years.
After the PFI contract ends, the homes will continue to be let at affordable rents in perpetuity. Thames Valley Housing chief executive officer Geeta Nanda, said: “We are thrilled to be delivering such a large quantity of affordable homes in this expensive part of Surrey.
“They will be accessible to people in real need, and we are grateful to our local authority and partners for helping us.”
Cllr Bittleston added: “This is a hugely important project for the borough. With so many people on our Housing Register waiting for decent, affordable social housing, these homes will help meet demand.
“By taking the PFI route, the council are able to deliver a step change in the provision of affordable housing, while contributing significantly towards the requirements set out in the Core Strategy.”
Managing director at Kier, Chris King, said: “We are delighted a start can be made on this exciting development.
“The design and the careful integration of a range of tenures will ensure the project is aesthetically pleasing and sustainable, providing Woking with a high-quality residential environment for years to come.”
Although Woking Borough Council will continue to monitor progress of Kingsmoor Park, Evolution maintain responsibility for community and resident liaison.
Visit www.kingsmoorpark.com for more details on the future plans for Westfield.
For queries on Priority Homes Project, contact Julie Mémé on 01483 743891, email [email protected] or see www.woking.gov.uk/priorityhomes
Westfield Common Public Consultation
Surrey Wildlife Trust is holding a public consultation at The Moorcroft Centre on 20th November 2013 from 5pm and would like to hear your views about Westfield Common.