Work begins on £4m community-led housing development in Shropshire

Work on a new community-led rural housing development in Shropshire is now underway.27 energy-efficient homes are being built at Whitchurch Road, Prees, through a partnership comprising local residents, The Wrekin Housing Group, Shropshire Council, and Prees Parish Council.The development offers a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom houses and bungalows that will be available for affordable rent and shared ownership.All of the new homes will be prioritised for those with a connection to the area, ensuring affordable homes are available to local people.The development in Prees will see 27 homes built for affordable rent and shared ownershipThe £4m development is being built by Hawk Developments.Shropshire has a shortage of affordable housing, due largely to the widening gap between average household incomes and average property prices throughout the county.To help tackle this issue, Shropshire Council set up the Right Home, Right Place initiative, which runs surveys in each parish across Shropshire to identify and address the housing needs of its residents. A project board made up of local residents and volunteers, members of Prees Parish Council, Shropshire Council, and The Wrekin Housing Group, was created to oversee the project from start to finish.Ian Henderson is a Prees resident and member of the project board.‘Real shortage of affordable housing’Affordable housing is in growing demand throughout Shropshire, as it is in many other parts of the UK, primarily due to the widening gap between the average household income and the average house price.In Whitchurch town, the average house price is £180,000, while the average household income is £26,865, making a typical house price 6.7 times more than the average income.In Prees specifically, the affordability ratio of 7 is even higher, and since mortgage multipliers are typically based on four times the household income, it is difficult for local people to buy a home in their area.