Published Monday, 28th November 2022
Residents have begun moving into their new homes at Wheatley Court on Cromwell Road, Redhill - Reigate & Banstead Borough Council’s new £7m landmark social housing development.
Image caption: Wheatley Court on Cromwell Road
The 32 homes – a mix of one and two-bedroom flats – are all for affordable rent and have been allocated to households on the Council’s housing register. The scheme was supported by funding from Homes England.
Mount Green Housing Association has been awarded a management contract for letting and managing the development, following a competitive tender process. Mount Green already manages more than 1,600 homes across Surrey and Sussex, including 250 homes in the Reigate and Redhill area.
Built by Neilcott Construction Ltd, the five-storey residential block sits above new, modern retail premises. It replaces outdated shops and flats on the site, which is owned by the Council. The development was recently awarded ‘best large social housing development for the South East region’ in the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Building Excellence Awards.
Cllr Caroline Neame, Executive Member for Housing and Support at Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, said: “Wheatley Court is a landmark development for the Council. By delivering the project ourselves, on our own site, we have been able to shape the tenure and mix of homes to make sure that we can provide more of the types of homes that we know local people need. We are pleased to be partnering with Mount Green to let and manage these new homes to residents on our housing register.”
Cllr Richard, Biggs, Executive Member for Planning Policy and Place Delivery, said: “Through this scheme, we have been able to rejuvenate a tired and run-down site, furthering our regeneration ambitions for Redhill town centre, as well as providing more affordable homes to meet local need and flexible commercial space. The modern, attractive building provides a more welcoming entrance to the town centre from this side of town and the energy efficient design will benefit residents and reduce the impact on the environment.”
Rob Mills, Director of Business Operations at Mount Green Housing Association, said: “As an independent housing association, we are always looking for opportunities to increase our support across the communities where we operate, to enable more individuals and families to thrive with good-quality and affordable housing. We’re really pleased to be embarking on this new venture with Reigate & Banstead Borough Council and to supporting Wheatley Court’s new residents.”