New affordable homes in Colebrook bring Tracy and Steve together at last
A delighted couple, Tracy and Steve (pictured), had been living apart whilst in their loving relationship for six and a half long years. They had been saving to be able to afford a home together but deposits can be hard to manage. They’d been searching for the right opportunity, when Tracy saw the sign for the new homes on her way down to her local shop in Colebook at Plympton.
Tracy explains, “On rent to buy, we pay rent for five years at a lower rate to save to buy the house at the end of that. We are getting married this year and after more than six years as a couple, we are finally living together. We are very, very lucky and so happy.”
They love the quiet and beautiful location, so once they heard that the house would be theirs, Steve, a keen gardener, quickly got permission for a polytunnel and shed in the garden. Steve says, “The house is wonderful and the neighbours are lovely, a real community with a mixture of ages and circumstances. This is brilliant and we feel really lucky.”
Tracy adds, “I would recommend the rent to buy process to anybody, Westward and the credit check company we used made it easy. Communication was really good. We were kept in the loop and they were very accommodating with viewings and so on.”
Steve smiles, “It really means the world to us. We couldn’t be happier.”
Further rented and shared ownership homes will follow through the spring and summer on this all-affordable estate in Plympton. A total of 43 much needed, affordable Westward homes will be available.
The properties on this significant site are being provided in partnership and jointly funded by Plymouth City Council’s Plan for Homes initiative and Homes England’s ‘Affordable Homes Programme’ alongside funding from Westward.
The homes provide much needed affordable housing for the Plymouth area where the Devon Home Choice waiting list numbers more than 7,000 households.
The properties are being built by regional award-winning construction firm Classic Builders who have already provided other high quality, affordable homes for Westward in Plymouth.
The 43 homes in total will offer a range of housing options including 20 homes for social rent to local people. There will also be 9 rent to buy homes which provide an opportunity for people to save for a deposit, to then later buy the home you are renting. For those seeking shared ownership opportunities this estate will also offer 14 homes.
Westward has designed the homes to a high building regulations standard. All homes have high EPC (energy efficiency performance) ratings to a minimum standard of B. All homes are sustainable timber frame construction with solar photovoltaic panels, high insulation standards and gas combination central heating and hot water systems.