Read ‘affordable homes’ are snapped up

The shared ownership properties at the stylish Meadow View development, off Whins Lane, have been purchased by families with a connection to Read or Simonstone.

Built by Westby Homes in association with Ribble Valley Homes, and with the support of Ribble Valley Borough Council, the Meadow View development comprises 16 two to five-bedroom properties in a quiet cul-de-sac, five of which have been made available for shared ownership by local families.

Young family Amie Jones, Daniel Liles and their baby daughter, Poppy, are delighted with their new three-bedroom home. Amie said: “We could never have afforded a house like this on the open market and many of our friends in a similar position have been forced into neighbouring towns.

“Thanks to shared ownership, we can stay in the village that we both grew up in, live near our families and our daughter can attend the school that we attended. We are absolutely delighted and can’t wait to move in a couple of weeks from now.”

House prices in Ribble Valley are way above the national average and first-time buyers are being forced out of the communities their families have lived in for generations. In an effort to combat this, Ribble Valley Borough Council is at the forefront of several housing initiatives, from the provision of affordable properties in partnership with the housing sector to cutting-edge energy efficiency.

Rachael Stott, the council’s housing strategy manager, said: “The provision of affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing the council and we are working closely with our housing partners to address this problem. We are delighted to have supported this excellent scheme, which has made desperately-needed high-quality properties available to families with a Read and Simonstone connection.”

Shared ownership allows payments to be split between mortgage and rent, with ownership starting from a 30% share and rising incrementally to 100%. It is particularly suitable for house-hunters with a large deposit and low income, or higher income and no deposit.

More than 20 shared ownership properties, starting from as little as £68,000 for a 40% share, with £233 monthly rent on the remainder, are currently available in Ribble Valley.

Properties ranging from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom family homes, as well as two-bedroom bungalows, are currently available at Lune Road and Low Moor Gardens in Clitheroe; Petre Wood, Langho; Water Meadows, Longridge; Whalley Road, Billington, and Barrow Brook Grange, Barrow. Further schemes are in the pipeline and people or families with a local connection will be given priority.

Anyone interested in a shared ownership home should contact Ribble Valley Borough Council’s housing team on 01200 414567.