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We are now in very exciting times. May 2022 saw the granting of planning approval, October 2022 saw us signing contracts to buy the land and build out the scheme, and on December 5th we held a breaking ground ceremony, spades in ground and off to the local pub for celebratory lunch, cake and fizz to toast this milestone! And now the end of the build is in sight, with members full on with stressing about hitches in the utilities provision, ordering flooring, arranging removal vans and a hundred other things that need thinking about!
Our scheme is for a site off Sevenfields Lane in Wisewood, Sheffield S6 4TS, and consists of 22 units, from 1 and 2-bed flats to 2 and 3-bed houses, plus a generous Common House and outdoor space for shared gardening. The site is situated in a former small park, and has lovely views as open space falls southwards, with good local amenities and access by public transport to the city centre and the nearby countryside. The project is in collaboration with Oakworth Construction, a local timber-frame construction company, who are on track to complete the eco-friendly build by November/December 2023. Air source heat pumps, underfloor heating, triple glazing and solar panels should help us keep us low carbon, sustainable and with reduced fuel bills.
Our aspiration was for a multi-generational, affordable project. We have some delightful young couples and families signed up, in spite of the challenging times in the mortgage market for first time buyers. We hold regular information sessions at a nearby community centre and on the site, including some with a specific focus on younger people and families. Keeping costs from spiralling is a challenge but we are doing all we can to stick to the indicative prices set at the start of the build.
In spite of the Government causing chaos in the financial markets, (which caused some jitters) we were able to get our commercial loan in place with Ecology Building Society, supplemented by generous low interest loans from members and supporters and the build is proceeding at pace. We would still very much welcome hearing from potential new supporters, including those who might lend us some money for the remaining few months to help keep borrowing costs down. Please check out our website for further details and updates.
And get in touch soon if you might be interested in joining us! Just one 2 bed house remains for sale (as at October 2023). We have an arrangement with a local housing co-op to provide three affordable rental units, and these are now fully allocated. We have a small waiting list for other properties and continue to recruit to that in case things change.
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