Dorchester Brewery housing scheme gets underway

Construction work on a new “affordable” housing development in Dorchester is underway ahead of schedule, the developers say.AJC Group is delivering the Dorchester Brewery scheme in partnership with housing association Aster Group.Once complete in November 2024, the scheme will deliver 57 new homes in a mix of “affordable” rent and shared ownership. Of these 32 homes will be three- and four-bedroom houses, while the remaining 25 will be apartments.The site is located off Eldridge Street in the centre of Dorchester, Dorset, within the newly developed Dorchester Brewery Square complex. The new homes will be within walking distance of a wide range of amenities, including popular restaurants and bars, as well as a state-of-the-art cinema.David Cracklen, AJC Group’s director, said: “It’s great to see construction progressing at such a pace at our trailblazing scheme, which is delivering a key milestone for the 20-year transformation of Dorchester town centre.“The foundations and blockwork are taking shape, with the first bricks already laid at ground floor level. This historic site, which includes the former Malthouse and Draymasters Brewery on Eldridge Street, will see 57 much-needed homes delivered, with all of them being available for affordable housing through Aster Group.”All 57 of the houses and apartments will be built to a high EPC-B rating, AJC Group says, and one in two of the houses will be allocated an electric vehicle charging point. There will be parking available for every home, including secure undercroft parking for the 25 apartments.Cracklen added: “The sustainable location of this site will enable future occupiers to benefit from regular services from Dorchester South train station to nearby towns, cities and beyond, encouraging residents to adopt more sustainable forms of transport and be less reliant on cars.“There is a desperate need for affordable housing in Dorchester, so it is a privilege to be delivering one of our largest construction projects and the first four-bedroom houses within Brewery Square.”This is the second live development in Dorset that AJC Group is currently constructing in partnership with Aster Group. The project is in line with AJC Group’s commitment of building 500 affordable homes by 2028 across the South Coast.Amanda Williams, chief investment officer at Aster, said: “It’s exciting to see AJC making progress on site at Dorchester Brewery and the new much-needed range of affordable homes coming out of the ground.“We know having a secure place to call home is key to people’s health and wellbeing. With high demand for affordable homes in the area, we’re delighted to be able to plug some of the gap and we can’t wait to welcome the new occupiers in due course.”Are 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.