Rural housing scheme completes in Great Hockham, Norfolk Tuesday, 30th May 2023

Ingleton Wood was pleased to design and support the creation of 18 new family and affordable homes in Great Hockham in Norfolk as part of a £4.2 million partnership project led by Broadland Housing Association.

Eight of the homes are being made available for affordable rent to people with a local connection, with priority given to people with a connection to the village or adjoining parishes which are in housing need.

Two of the homes will be made available on a shared ownership basis while the remaining eight homes are being sold on the open market.

Our Norwich office was appointed to provide architectural services for the development.

Architectural Director Chris Stammers said: “We’re proud to continue our collaboration with Broadland Housing Association in designing this sensitive rural housing scheme at Great Hockham.

“We’ve tried to echo the charm and strong rural character of the village in a community-focussed setting with the layout of 18 homes grouped in traditional building clusters which are positioned around key landscape features, such as the new attenuation pond and framed views of existing mature trees.

“We hope we’ve helped to create a nice place to live that sits well in the countryside and is appropriate for this delightful village location.”

Michael Newey, Chief Executive of Broadland Housing, and Cllr Sarah Suggitt, Deputy Leader of Breckland Council, handed over the keys to Lara Linge and Bethany Allen, the first two tenants to move into the development, at a ceremony at the site in Wretham Road.

Michael Newey, Chief Executive of Broadland Housing, said: “This kind of mixed tenure development, with a blend of affordable homes and open-market homes, is increasingly the way forward, both because it makes such schemes financially viable, but also because it encourages a better integration within the community.

“We are meeting a genuine need for housing in rural village communities, which will enable local people to find homes in those communities and thus stay close to their support networks and make places such as Great Hockham more sustainable.

“The only solution to the pressing housing need we face is to build more new homes.  The delivery of those homes depends on building a coalition of the willing and the able, as has happened here at Great Hockham.

“We are very grateful to the housing team at Breckland Council who helped the scheme through the housing needs survey and consultation, and Great Hockham Parish Council for their support.  This scheme was voted for unanimously by the Planning committee, which shows the benefit of working in partnership in this way.”

Cllr Sara Suggitt, Deputy Leader for Breckland Council, added: “It's fantastic to see these affordable family homes, especially new rental homes, being brought onto the market for local people.

“We have been able to deliver this project by working in partnership with Broadland Housing, ensuring our residents can retain local connections and build a future within the district. I look forward to seeing the first people moving in and calling Breckland home very soon.”