How a new housing development in Telford is helping the council with a number of objectives
A new housing development in Telford is helping the borough council with a number of its objectives, councillors say.
The housing at a former Victorian school off Main Road, in Ketley Bank, is a part of the growing portfolio of Nuplace, Telford & Wrekin Council’s wholly owned housing company.
The £5.9 million creation of 28 homes at the site was passed by planners in 2023 amid opposition from residents who were concerned about safety on Main Road.
But now the Mayor of Oakengates, Councillor Steve Reynolds, is delighted about how it is a part of the community.
It includes seven ‘affordable’ properties and five wheelchair accessible bungalows.
“I really am pleased with how things have gone over the last couple of years for this particular development,” he said.
He added that the frontage of the building, considered a non-designated heritage asset, has kept its original features.
The name of the board school’s first head teacher also lives on in the name Forgham Crescent. New residents started to move into the homes on the site last year.
The building was last used as a day nursery until 2019, but no commercial operators wanted to take it over because of the costs of maintenance.
For Councillor Shirley Reynolds, a cabinet member at Telford & Wrekin Council, it shows how the authority – through Nuplace, can work with companies on adding social value.
Councillor Reynolds, who also sits on Oakengates Town Council, said the borough has worked with builder Lovell to help young people through the donation of goods to care leavers.
“The white goods and soft furnishings of a show home were donated to car leavers to help them set up in their first home,” she said.
She added that the council works with a number of local firms on apprenticeship and other schemes.
“We are always looking for companies that want to work with the council as part of their social value,” she said.
Council deputy leader Councillor Richard Overton, who also holds the highways, housing and enforcement portfolio says Nuplace is helping to improve housing standards across the borough and also provides an income to support front line services.
Councillor Overton said the council has had to make £195million in cuts over the last 14 years.
“The income has helped us to deliver front line services,” he said.
The council also sees Nuplace as a way to drive up housing standards across the borough through competing in the housing market.
The council describes Nuplace as providing “high quality homes for rent from a reliable landlord, mainly at market rent levels.”
It also provides a way for the council to regenerate brown field sites that the council has been unable to sell.
Council budget papers reveal that Nuplace has now delivered 608 homes across 13 sites. Its portfolio of properties now provides a range of homes for more than 1,500 people across the borough.
Of these properties, 97 are for ‘affordable’ rent or built to an adaptable standard, with the remainder being rented on the open market.
Since 2015/16 the Nuplace has provided the council with a cumulative net incremental income of £13.8m.
Over the next three years the council is set to invest more than £88 million in Nuplace as a part of its £437 million capital programme.
