News and media

Winkleigh, situated in the heart of Devon, is to gain 21 desirable new affordable homes provided through Westward as part of a wider new estate of 71 homes called Castle Green. The properties are being built by national construction firm Lovell (part of Morgan Sindall) and work has already begun to provide these attractive new one, two and three bedroom homes that include flats and houses. This will be a significant development provided under section 106.

The homes will offer a range of housing options including 16 homes for social rent to local people, these will be let through Devon Home Choice.

For those seeking shared ownership opportunities, this estate will also offer five shared ownership properties with two and three bedroom capacity. Part-rent, part-buy sales will be through our sales team with homes advertised on our website in due course.  

Phase one is under way and all homes will be ready by April 2026.

The homes will meet a high building regulations standard with EPC (energy efficiency performance) rating to a standard of B across the site. All homes will benefit from air source heat pumps.

Our chief executive, Stephen Lodge said:

“This is an exciting opportunity to visit the location of our new homes being built, with the local MP, Sir Geoffrey Cox. It gives us an opportunity to show him the difference homes make in rural communities and the importance of affordable housing in Devon.”

There is clear local housing need for 37 properties in the parish at the start of this year. We require a local connection – so firstly Devon Home Choice offer them to the parish residents, then if there are still homes available, to the surrounding parishes (a further 25 needed) and finally if they are still unable to let, then out to the district of Torridge where housing need is 1,458 (all figures from March 2025).

Every new home we deliver can have a life-changing impact. A well-maintained, settled and secure home environment is a foundation for life opportunities for our customers.

The homes we deliver provide energy efficient, well-designed spaces for customers. We connect with our customers after they have moved in to ask for feedback on their experience and the comments received help us to ensure that we continue to meet the expectations of customers in future developments.

In addition to the construction of the total site of 71 much needed new homes (including the 21 affordable homes for Westward), details of the other benefits that the development will be providing to the local community are: contributions for allotments, artificial turf pitch, play and youth play facilities off-site, the sports hall and park off-site, secondary education transport, Great Torrington swimming pool, a Castle Court Monument interpretation board, off-site traffic light / pedestrian crossing between the sports centre and village, community car park, landscaping and ecological / wildlife friendly landscaping.

 

Photo show in various mixes:

Stephen Lodge – Westward Chief Executive, Rachel Searle – Westward Executive Director Property & Development, Jamey Jeffery – Westward Property Investment Manager. Sir Geoffrey Cox MP and his Office Manager Matthew Lane. And from Lovell: Managing Director Ross Field, Operations Director James Stride, Site Manager Mark Wyatt and Head of Development Tony Brown.