A HOUSING association’s ‘substantial’ grant could see up to 30 new affordable homes built in Bridport.

It would be an ‘un-missable’ opportunity said Bridport Co-Housing group’s Alan Heeks.

The Co-Housing group already has planning permission for 34 homes on four and a half acres of a seven-acre site near Bridport Hospital.

Mr Heeks and Monica King from the group came to tell members of Bridport Town Council about the ‘unexpected opportunity’ for more homes on the site – 17 for rent and 13 self built or self finish.

He said: “We had intended to get settled in and wait for a couple of years before doing anything with the other two and a half acres.

“However, Hastoe who are our housing association partners have had a very substantial government grant which they could apply to the whole field if we can get moving quickly - it means a substantial increase in the number of homes we can deliver.

“This is really quite a rare chance – this government is about to remove grants from housing associations this is an unmissable opportunity.”

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

A PLACE TO GROW: Bridport Co-Housing group's vision for phase one

In Ms King’s submission to the council she said: “It is proposed that leases on homes on the phase two land will not be formal cohousing, but will support many of the ‘green’ aspects of cohousing life, with recycling, reducing car use and energy consumption, etc. as part of daily life. Car ownership would be limited to one per household “In addition, some of this funding will enable an extra six of the cohousing homes on phase one to be for affordable rent through Hastoe, instead of being for sale at 80 per cent of open market value. Housing association affordable rented homes are an overriding need in Bridport.”

It is expected that given the urgency a planning application would be submitted within the next few weeks Ms King added: “These homes might be the last affordable rent homes built by a Housing Association with government grant-funding, and we’d love to see them coming to Bridport. This is truly a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”

Councillors were supportive but wanted assurances that the houses would remain affordable in perpetuity and rented homes would be for those who truly needed them.