Communities Secretary Sajid Javid visited Bath housing association Curo’s landmark development at Mulberry Park on the city’s outskirts yesterday to see its progress.
The scheme on the former MoD site at Foxhill is delivering much-needed new homes for Bath – a city where housing affordability is now a major issue.
Some 700 high-quality, energy efficient homes are being built at Mulberry Park, with 30% affordable housing. There will also be a new primary school and nursery, a community hub, a park and public open spaces.
During the development, the local economy will benefit from construction jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities.
The development at Mulberry Park has received support from central government’s Housing Zone initiative, designed to accelerate house building.
Mr Javid saw the new townhouses that line the central avenue into the scheme, built using local materials including Bath stone. The first residents will move in this spring.
Mr Javid said: “I’m struck by the progress that Curo is making to bring back into use a formerly derelict brownfield site. This scheme and others like it in the South West are designed to deliver growth in the local economy.
“It’s impressive that in the space of 36 months Curo has acquired this site, obtained planning, started construction. Housing associations are key partners in delivering the government’s target of one million new homes”.
Mulberry Park will make a significant contribution to meeting the need for more than 12,000 new homes across the Bath area by 2029, identified in Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) council’s core strategy.
Bath has one of the worst housing affordability problems in the South West – yet has some of its most deprived areas, including those close to Mulberry Park.
According to a recent report Home Truths from Curo, B&NES has the highest average private sector rents in the South West at £1,096pcm and the second highest average house price at £349,391.
The ratio of house prices to earnings in B&NES stands at 11.9 times and people living in the district need to earn an average of £79,861 to buy the average-priced home – the second highest required salary in the region.
Mr Javid was accompanied on the site visit by Bath MP Ben Howlett and Curo chief executive Victor da Cunha.
Mr da Cunha said: “We’re a business with a social mission at our heart, committed to providing affordable housing and opportunities for local people in Bath.
“We’re proud to be investing in Mulberry Park and Foxhill and making such a vital contribution to the local economy – delivering warm, secure homes, outstanding community facilities and beautiful open spaces alongside training and employment for residents.”
Pictured, from left: Communities Secretary Sajid Javid with Bath MP Ben Howlett and Curo chief executive Victor da Cunha on site at Mulberry Park
