May 08 - Baroness Andrews OBE commends Stevenage Homes
Baroness Andrews OBE commends Genesis’ affordable housing scheme in
Genesis Housing Group held a breakfast event at Silkin’s Field in
Speakers at the event included Baroness Andrews OBE – Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), Councillor Ann Webb – Executive Member for Housing and Health in
The site, a former British Aerospace sports ground, provides 198 affordable homes and is the largest in the ‘Challenge Fund 2’ programme, a joint initiative between Genesis Housing Group, English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation.
Silkin’s Field comprises a mix of 21 houses for general needs rent, 34 flats for general needs rent and 143 flats purchased through NewBuild HomeBuy’ (part-buy/part-rent), available exclusively for first-time buyers in the area. The remaining 55 homes are occupied by tenants nominated by Stevenage Borough Council. The scheme attracted a huge amount of interest on the open day with prospective customers queuing to reserve a property from
Mr Laverick, a customer who rents a house at Silkin’s Field, said “My wife and I are absolutely delighted here. We’ve got brilliant access to the town centre and the station, and there’s a large play area for the kids, which our ten-year-old son loves. It’s very safe here and we always know he’s nearby. It’s a lovely neighbourhood.”
Baroness Andrews OBE said “This fantastic development is a prime example of how mixed developments can work in practice and how these communities can thrive. These homes are helping key workers, first-time buyers and local people gain a step on to the property ladder. It is credit to the co-ordinated approach that Genesis has taken.”
She continued “The government has set a target to build three million new homes by 2020. This means house-building will need to increase to 240,000 a year by 2016 (175,000 were completed in 2007). There is a lot to achieve but it is developments like Silkin’s Field that are contributing significantly to this target.”
Anu Vedi, Group Chief Executive at Genesis, said “We see this Silkin’s Field development as an excellent example of what can be delivered in a relatively short time, to a good standard, and in successful partnerships, where commitment exists all round.
Genesis feels strongly that a range of clients should be provided for and that services should be shared in an integrated way. As a social investment business we prioritise our customers and the communities they live in. Our role in building homes and providing services sits alongside our purpose: to support our customers’ aspirations around their housing choices and around other parts of their life such as employment and training.”
