South-west landlord outlines plans to deliver 500+ new rural homes

A south-west housing association has pledged to build around 560 homes in rural areas over the next two years.LiveWest has outlined its plans to invest in rural economies, a goal to which the landlord says it has shown its commitment by building 499 rural homes across the south-west of England.The provider has invested close to £39m during the last financial year having built 228 homes in rural areas.The total is made up of 73 homes in Cornwall, 109 in Devon, 39 in Somerset, and seven in the West of England.Over the next two years, LiveWest is planning to develop 138 homes in Cornwall, 198 in Devon, 193 in Somerset, and 30 in the west of England.It means 30% of LiveWest’s development programme is made up of homes in rural areas.Gareth Jones, Development director for LiveWest, said: “At LiveWest, we are committed to strengthening and supporting these communities by creating access to excellent affordable housing.“We work in a broad range of rural communities to deliver homes that people can afford to live in.“We are developing a number of sites in rural communities that will provide affordable homes both to rent and buy.”He added: “Running parallel with our drive to support the provision of rural homes is our focus on energy-efficiency, ensuring that all our new homes are well built and insulated helping to deliver cost savings for our customers.“With more than 550 rural homes planned for the next two years, we remain committed to providing great homes and helping to sustain vibrant rural communities.”In Devon, a scheme of 39 affordable homes was recently completed in Ashburton as a result of a partnership between LiveWest, Dartmoor National Park Authority, Teignbridge District Council, Homes England, and local developer Coyde Construction.Elsewhere in the county, 40 affordable homes were developed in the village of South Brent.In Cornwall, a development of 28 affordable homes was completed at Blackwater.The development is now fully occupied, with 17 homes set aside for affordable rent and 11 for shared ownership.In Somerset, a partnership between LiveWest and EG Carter, and supported by Lympsham Parish Council and Sedgemoor District Council, resulted in the completion of 20 homes in the village of Lympsham.The development – a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom properties – includes two shared ownership and six social-rented properties.Read next: Livv Housing: How strategic partnerships are opening our pathway to growthAre you a social housing professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.