Low-carbon homes developed by Bromsgrove District Council on the site of the authority’s former head offices are set to be handed over to their new owners and operators.

Subject to final contract agreements, of the 61 new low-carbon homes on Burcot Lane Bromsgrove District Housing Trust will now get 12 for social rent and six for shared ownership, and 37 will be private rented through Spadesbourne Homes, a new company set up by the district council. Six will be available to buy on the open market.

Cllr Shirley Webb, Bromsgrove District Council’s portfolio holder for Strategic Housing, said: “We’re delighted to have regenerated this area through this high-quality development. Speller Metcalfe have done a lovely job of the homes. All that remains now is for us to complete the business of getting them into the hands of bdht, Spadesbourne Homes Ltd, and their other new owners, so that people can start living in them.

“If people don’t already know about Spadesbourne Homes, it stems from the council deciding to enhance this land as a public asset, rather than sell it off to a private developer to build on.

“We believed that we could take a longer view than your average developer, ensuring the development had a wide mix of tenures, was built to a high quality, and achieved Secure by Design Gold Standard. We could then sell a handful and manage the remaining homes via a council-owned company – long term plans that are now becoming reality.”

Spadesbourne Homes is a 100% council-owned company. It will own the properties and contract all the business of renting them to tenants out to local businesses with the relevant expertise. The rental income pays the cost of the long-term lease of the properties from the council and running them, and any surplus revenue over time can be reinvested in local services.

Cllr Webb added: “What’s more, these homes are energy efficient by design, boasting a range of bill-busting features from solar panels and battery storage to good insulation and air source heat systems to lower energy costs for their residents. The council felt it was important to show leadership on the kind of properties we want to see built.”

The homes were built for the council by Worcestershire-based contractor Speller Metcalfe.

The development was supported by government funding, with £1million from Homes England to help clear the old council house away, and £610,000 from the Getting Building Fund to help install the energy features.

Pictured below: The low-carbon homes will now become a mixture of social rentals, shared ownership, private rentals, and private ownership. Picture credit: Speller Metcalfe.