People who have a connection to Bristol will be given priority when bidding for a home at a key development in the south of the city. Work to build 50 flats above a new shop on East Street in Bedminster is currently underway after work stalled earlier this year, with developers Firmstone struggling with the soaring costs in the building industry.
The firm began work last year to demolish the former Argos store and build a new development of retail units fronting onto East Street, with flats above and behind. The project was rescued earlier this year after the developer signed a deal with housing association Bromford.
Bromford said that 30 of the new homes would be let at social rent levels - the most affordable of all the various definitions of ‘affordable housing’ in planning terms, with tenants coming from the council’s HomeChoice housing waiting list.
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The other 20 flats would be up for sale under a shared ownership scheme with Bromford, with first-time buyers able to buy a share of the flat, and rent the rest from the housing association. Homebuyers pay a mortgage on the share they own and pay rent on the remaining share, meaning a smaller deposit is required.
Bromford has now confirmed that priority for the apartments will be given to applicants who have a connection to Bristol. Those who have lived or been employed within the area for two to five years, or those who have family connections who have lived in the area for at least three years, will be given priority.
Designed by Bristol architects Stride Treglown, the scheme on 66 East Street consists of three buildings across the former Argos store site and the car park which lies behind it, maximising the use of this brownfield site for much-needed new homes. The building fronting East Street will be three-storeys high, rising to four and five storeys towards the rear.
Many of the homes will have balconies and all will benefit from sustainable energy provision through individual air-source heat pumps. Around 80 secure cycle parking spaces will be provided to support sustainable travel and limit car use.
Catherine Jarrett, director of sales and marketing at Bromford, said: “We can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve been working on at 66 East Street. We always look forward to unveiling new Shared Ownership homes to the public and to giving people the opportunity to secure a brand-new home in a way that is affordable.
“Shared Ownership makes homeowning much more accessible than it used to be. Having the option to own a percentage of a home, while paying a reduced rent on the property for the portion you don’t own, has allowed local people to afford homes when they might not have been able to otherwise.
“66 East Street is a wonderful development in a lovely location that has been thoughtfully designed. We can’t wait to release our wonderful Shared Ownership apartments, and for potential buyers to see the stunning location for themselves.”
Argos closed its doors on East Street in 2019 and is one of a number of high street stores to close in the south Bristol retail area in recent years, with many shopfronts still empty.
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