Six local families have moved into brand new social rent homes in an East Devon village following a 10-year effort by residents to secure affordable housing in the area.
Six local households have moved into a newly completed affordable housing development in the East Devon countryside following a decade of community campaigning.
The Chilcombe Field scheme in Northleigh, near Honiton, was built to address a shortage of affordable properties in the Upper Coly Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where high prices often force local residents to move away.
Developed by Teign Housing in partnership with the Upper Coly Valley Community Land Trust, the development consists of three two-bedroom houses, one three-bedroom house, and two one-bedroom bungalows let entirely at social rent.
Priority for the properties was given to people with established ties to the local villages of Northleigh, Southleigh, and Farway.
Among the new residents are local postman Darren Pengelly, his wife Ivana, and their two sons, Jacob, 10, and Jack, 8.
“Having a home in the village means everything to us,” the couple said. “The children have more space, we can stay close to the community we know, and it has made a real difference to family life.”
The initiative originally began over ten years ago when local parish councils joined forces to assess housing needs across the valley, leading to the creation of the community land trust. The site land was subsequently acquired from the parish council with additional funding provided by Homes England and East Devon District Council.
Tom Woodman, chief executive of Teign Housing, noted that high house prices and private rents across rural Devon make it “incredibly difficult” for young families to remain in the area.
Councillor Dan Ledger, portfolio holder for sustainable homes at East Devon District Council, added that developments like Chilcombe Field play a vital role in preventing local families from being priced out of the rural communities where they grew up.