Gary's News and views
Gary writes a weekly article which appears in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here.
Thursday 5 June 2014
SHERFORD IN SIGHT
I had a briefing last week from both the district council and the developers of the new town at Sherford (between Plymstock and Plympton) and thought I should update you, as this will be a significant addition and alteration to our area. First news: It is all going to happen!
The three main house builders have been contracted: Bovis, Linden and Taylor Wimpey. A planning panel has been set up to oversee design and construction. The land has been purchased and initial site preparation has already begun.
The main army of bulldozers will be on site later this year. It is estimated that the first houses will be out of the ground and ready for purchase or rent next August 2015. As I have felt for some time, it is going to be a fabulous place to live.
The new town will be built in phases, the first section being the south west corner of the site, the Elburton end.
This will comprise in the region of 1100 homes. A primary school will be constructed as part of the first phase, as well as other communal facilities, including a new sports centre. It is now likely that the secondary school will await a later phase of development, as there will remain spare capacity in existing adjoining secondary schools for the first few years. A high street with shops will quickly be added and hopefully the designer's vision of a self-contained and sustainable community will ultimately be realised.
The project will take many years to complete and will create hundreds of new jobs during its construction phase. When it is finished there may well then be a significant extension back towards the city on the other side of Haye Road. This will together accommodate a large proportion of the housing needs of local people. Although in the first phase the numbers of affordable houses (to rent and buy) will be less than 20%, this proportion will grow as the town takes shape. Market value properties and affordable homes will be built to the same high design specification.
Sherford will help to meet the undoubted pent up demand of many families currently in rented accommodation who have been waiting for a chance to own their own home.
There will be disruption, that is inevitable and hopefully this will be kept to a bare minimum by strong management. But Sherford will provide homes for local people that are desperately needed.
I had a briefing last week from both the district council and the developers of the new town at Sherford (between Plymstock and Plympton) and thought I should update you, as this will be a significant addition and alteration to our area. First news: It is all going to happen!
The three main house builders have been contracted: Bovis, Linden and Taylor Wimpey. A planning panel has been set up to oversee design and construction. The land has been purchased and initial site preparation has already begun.
The main army of bulldozers will be on site later this year. It is estimated that the first houses will be out of the ground and ready for purchase or rent next August 2015. As I have felt for some time, it is going to be a fabulous place to live.
The new town will be built in phases, the first section being the south west corner of the site, the Elburton end.
This will comprise in the region of 1100 homes. A primary school will be constructed as part of the first phase, as well as other communal facilities, including a new sports centre. It is now likely that the secondary school will await a later phase of development, as there will remain spare capacity in existing adjoining secondary schools for the first few years. A high street with shops will quickly be added and hopefully the designer's vision of a self-contained and sustainable community will ultimately be realised.
The project will take many years to complete and will create hundreds of new jobs during its construction phase. When it is finished there may well then be a significant extension back towards the city on the other side of Haye Road. This will together accommodate a large proportion of the housing needs of local people. Although in the first phase the numbers of affordable houses (to rent and buy) will be less than 20%, this proportion will grow as the town takes shape. Market value properties and affordable homes will be built to the same high design specification.
Sherford will help to meet the undoubted pent up demand of many families currently in rented accommodation who have been waiting for a chance to own their own home.
There will be disruption, that is inevitable and hopefully this will be kept to a bare minimum by strong management. But Sherford will provide homes for local people that are desperately needed.
posted by Gary @ 13:40
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