PLANNING PERMISSION has been granted for affordable homes to be built in Eastington near Stonehouse. 

Two Rivers Housing and Eastington Community Land Trust (ECLT) have been granted planning permission to build 31 affordable homes at Homegrounds in Eastington near Stonehouse.

The ECLT was set up by residents to help tackle the lack of affordable housing in the village.

Having built 23 affordable homes at its Claypits site in 2020, the ECLT is now partnering with Gloucester-based Housing Association, Two Rivers Housing to build a further 31 homes at its Homegrounds site.

Working together, they have secured planning permission from Stroud District Council to build a mix of flats and houses - 21 homes will be for social rent and 10 for Shared Ownership. 

Terri Hibberd, development manager at Two Rivers Housing, said: “This is great news for families in Eastington where access to affordable housing is limited.

"Rural areas like this are in desperate need of new homes, but it can be a difficult balance between preserving the character of the village and ensuring that there are enough places for people to live.

“Working with organisations like the ECLT helps ensure that developments like this are done with and supported by the local community whose friends and families will ultimately benefit from the new homes we are building together.”

Tom Morrison, chair of the Eastington Community Land Trust added: “Over the last ten years or so we’ve worked hard to ensure that Eastington remains a thriving rural community.

"Through projects like this one we can meet the housing needs of local people, while protecting our greenspaces and the rural character and charm of the village.

“Gloucestershire-based Two Rivers Housing is the perfect partner for our second project.

"They are a local housing association with experience in building for rural communities and we believe that their knowledge, experience, and commitment to increasing the availability of affordable homes in their communities is a great fit for our second project.”

Two Rivers Housing will look to appoint a contractor and hope to start work on site in the summer of 2024.