A unique new development in Dymock will be welcoming its first residents over the next couple of months as building work comes to an end.
The 20 new homes are part of a £3million scheme which includes a canal basin as part of the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire canal restoration programme, discount a car park, medicine footpath and play area.
Recognising the benefits the new development will bring to the village, order the Parish Council has been a driving force behind the project. Two Rivers Housing has taken on 14 of the properties, with three available through Shared Ownership (a part-rent, part-buy option) and 11 offered for affordable rent, giving young families the chance to live in Dymock. Priority has also been given to people with a local connection, providing them with the opportunity to stay in the area they already know.
With a housing shortage across the country, demand for the homes has been high, with all of the Shared Ownership properties already snapped up by local people. Two Rivers Housing is continuing to build new houses across the county to give more people the opportunity to own their own home through Shared Ownership and live in an area which they already live or work. In 2015, the housing association has invested in 43 new properties for affordable rent and Shared Ownership.
Along with boosting student attendance at the local school, which has seen dwindling numbers in recent years, it is also hoped that the new canal basin, will bring more tourism to the village. Over 6,000m3 of soil was deposited on the site to level the area, and it will be filled with water next year, once the land and clay has settled. It is envisaged that many visitors will one day be arriving into Dymock by barge, with the basin connected to the 34 mile canal route from Gloucester to Hereford and becoming a possible turning space for barges.
The area around the basin will be a haven for wildlife, and there are plans to plant native berry bearing shrubs and bushes with climbing plants to provide food and shelter for birds and smaller creatures. There will also be strategically placed bat and nesting boxes around the site.
The homes, built by local building contractor GP Thomas, have a low running cost due to added insulation and the installation of air source heat pumps, which transfers heat from outside to inside the building and vice versa.
Work on site started in October 2014, and during this time electrical students from Gloucestershire College visited the development. GP Thomas also employed an apprentice to learn the building trade and work on the new homes.
Development Manager at Two Rivers Housing, Stephen Ingram, said: “Working closely with the Parish Council, GP Thomas and the Canal Trust, this scheme will bring a number of benefits to the community by breathing new life to the area. With new homes for local young people, a canal basin and recreational facilities, it’s helping to secure the future prosperity of the village.”