Half (½) Price Homes for Essential Workers
Extraordinary times require extraordinary responses
At desperate times such as these, no one questions the value of our essential workers. Yet the very same people we depend on for our lives and well-being, more often than not, cannot afford to buy a home in the communities they serve. They are forced to commute long distances to work, or rent pricey flats, without having the chance to get a foot on the housing ladder.
The Government calculated, that unless land for key worker housing in the South of England is effectively free, then then 90% of those workers we depend on will never be able to afford to buy a home of their own.
There is no doubt that our nurses and other front-line workers appreciate the “Clap for Carers”, but now it’s time to show how much they are valued in a more substantial and long-lasting way.
Monkhill Ltd, a company based in Haslemere is donating land, free of all costs, to a new housing trust. Simply put, as land in this area can equate to as much as 50% of the cost of a new house, then this gift will enable new homes to be built and sold at half the open market price.
These would be affordable homes where no interest or rent is paid on the balance of the equity. Homes where the owner’s investment performs exactly as it would in the open housing market. The only difference being, that if a house is sold, then it must go to another essential worker at half of the market price at that time. This ensures there will be affordable homes for essential workers in perpetuity.
We now know just how many workers we depend on, but in this instance Essential Workers are being limited to qualified nurses, police officers, teachers and firefighters. They must work within the Borough of Waverley or at one of the hospitals serving the area.
This initiative is not seen as a one off, but as an exemplar for other potential donors to follow. Then, hopefully, other Essential Workers will be able to secure the homes they all aspire to.
The proposed site is in an attractive location, on a private estate, just 6 minutes’ walk from Haslemere Station. Architects JPA, a practice with 47 awards for house building have been appointed to design the scheme.
Initially, it is proposed that 11 homes will be made available to those qualifying. These will range in size from studio apartments to 3-bedroom 5-person terraced homes. Prices are expected to start at £99,000.
If you believe you qualify and are having problems buying a home locally, or simply have an opinion on the matter of affordable housing, we would like to hear from you.
