Date published: 19 October 2023
Stonewater and its partners have celebrated the official opening of its new fully affordable housing development in Castlethorpe, Milton Keynes, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and the unveiling of public artwork.
The scheme, which has been supported by funding from Homes England, is located on land formerly owned by the Lord Carrington estate and includes 31 homes for shared ownership, affordable rent, and social rent.
The development demonstrates Stonewater’s commitment to delivering high-quality affordable homes for people living in rural communities which have historically received less investment than their urban counterparts.
The affordable housing provider partnered with Snowdon Homes Limited, Thornton Firkin LLP, and Milton Keynes City Council to create the estate.
Local sculptor Helena Curry, who designed three bronze plaques depicting the changing scenery of Castlethorpe over the years, attended the official opening of the site where her artwork has been proudly displayed. She was joined by representatives from organisations involved in the project who were given a tour of the development.
The scheme, which benefits from a range of local amenities, features a mixture of bungalows and two, three, and four-bedroom homes all of which have been fitted with air source heat pumps to reduce customers’ energy usage, and save them money on bills.
Marie Riordan, Stonewater’s Director of Development (South & Central), said: “We are excited to have strengthened our presence in Milton Keynes by delivering the Castlethorpe development which has taken the total number of much-needed homes provided by Stonewater in the city to 304. We are particularly proud that this new estate exclusively offers affordable housing to suit families of all shapes and sizes.
"At Stonewater, we understand the importance of providing affordable homes for people in rural villages such as Castlethorpe which have often been neglected in the past in favour of developments in urban areas and we are committed to providing comfortable and contemporary homes for similar communities in the future. The official opening of the site was a wonderful celebration, and it was great to share the event with some of the people who helped to make the scheme a success."
John Leydon, Snowdon Homes’ Commercial Director, added: “Snowdon Homes is grateful for being given the opportunity to work with Stonewater, as well as the other companies involved, to build these affordable homes. It has been our pleasure to create such a community driven site and we hope that people enjoy living in the houses as much as we enjoyed building them."
Councillor Emily Darlington, Cabinet Member for Adults, Housing and Healthy Communities at Milton Keynes City Council, said: “The development of affordable housing in Castlethorpe is much needed. Often rural areas are forgotten when it comes to affordable homes, but the housing crisis is not just in urban environments. The Castlethorpe development will be home to a thriving community with access to a range of local amenities. I will continue to support similar schemes which deliver affordable homes that are in line with people's income so that residents in Milton Keynes can afford a home even during this cost-of-living crisis."
Mark Bradbury, Partner at Thornton Firkin LLP, said: "It is fantastic to see yet another important affordable housing project completed with our trusted national framework partner Stonewater. Thornton Firkin LLP has worked on this project with Stonewater since its inception. We assembled the design team and all parties worked collaboratively to deliver these fantastic new homes. It is a pleasure to see the new homes completed to such a high standard, particularly as the development stands so well in the local vernacular - well done to all involved."
Helena Curry, Sculptor, commented: "I was delighted to be given the opportunity by Stonewater to create a collection of public art to reflect scenes from the beautiful village of Castlethorpe. My studio is just down the road and I know the area well, so it was an honour to be part of the project. Castlethorpe is a wonderful place with a real sense of community spirit which I wanted my artwork to showcase."