The first rural affordable housing scheme in Wokingham Borough has been unveiled in the village of Wargrave, marking an important step in tackling the lack of affordable homes in the Berkshire countryside.

Sovereign South+West's Kings Acre development in Blakes Road consists of 10 new affordable homes, including seven houses and apartments for rent and three houses to purchase through shared ownership.

Kings Acre is a rural exception site, a small development that falls outside normal local housing plans. They are intended to provide affordable housing to local people to allow them to remain in their community. A condition of planning permission is that the homes must be allocated to people with a strong local connection.

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Ann Santry, Chief Executive of Sovereign Housing Group, said: "There is a chronic shortage of affordable housing in rural areas. This is a serious problem that is having a major impact on community life in villages.

"House prices are higher than in towns and cities, but wages are lower. Local people are being forced to leave the places where their family, friends and jobs are simply because they cannot find a property to rent. Small rural developments such as this one in Wargrave are an important way of sustaining village life."

The level of need for affordable housing in Wargrave was established when the parish council, supported by the Berkshire rural housing enabler, conducted a survey. A greenfield site on the edge of the village was identified as a suitable location and Sovereign purchased the land from the parish council.

Kings Acre was supported with an investment of £452,000 from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Each home has been built to meet Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and benefits from solar panels, assisting with the provision of hot water.

The delivery of rural affordable housing was identified as a main priority in the Berkshire Local Investment Plan, which identifies areas and themes needing long-term support from the HCA and its partners.

(CD)