Following Stroud District Council recently awarding a contract to Speller Metcalfe for the construction of these homes I've been asked lots of questions!

There was a 'Meet the Contractor’ event, last week, at Wotton Baptist Church. As SDC don't actually build houses themselves I thought I'd share some of the detail I've gathered.

Since space is limited on the site the contractors are having to use smaller machines than normal. The site has recently been stripped. Foundations and services will be installed first, followed by timber frame, roofing and superstructure. Once watertight the internals will be worked on through the spring of next year. Finally, fencing and landscaping will be addressed leading to handover mid-May 2026.

The contractor is free to revise the timeline as the project progresses providing they keep to the agreed completion date,18th May 2026.

What is Affordable Housing?

Affordable housing includes homes for sale or rent and is for people whose needs are not met by the private market. Affordable housing is a key element of the government’s plan to end the housing crisis, tackle homelessness and provide aspiring homeowners with a step onto the housing ladder.

What types of Affordable Housing are offered by Stroud District Council?

• Affordable Rent
  • Homes let at least 20% below local market rents.
• Social Rent
  • Homes let at rents set through the National Rent Regime in England at around 50% of market rents.
• Shared Ownership
  • Homes where the ownership of a property is shared between the purchaser and Stroud District Council, it can sometimes be referred to as part buy/part rent.

What type of Affordable Housing will be offered at Bradley/Gloucester Street?

There will be 8 properties in total which will all be available for affordable rent including:

• 5 x 2 Bed Houses

• 3 x 3 Bed Houses

What happens when construction is completed?

All properties will be advertised on the HomeseekerPlus website and allocated by the Stroud District Council Housing Advice Team. (HomeseekerPlus is a choice-based lettings allocation system which includes scrutiny to ensure compliance with current policy regarding eligibility criteria).

I/Someone I know is interested in one of these properties, what should I/they do?

In order to bid on any of these properties when they are ready, you will need to register with HomeseekerPlus. If someone you know is interested in a property they should submit an application at an early stage, as the process to activate a HomeseekerPlus account can take several weeks. Your eligibility will then be assessed, and you will be given a band (depending on your housing need) in line with the HomeseekerPlus policy. You will then be able to bid on any property that you are interested in. Once the advertising period ends for a property, it is allocated through the Housing Advice team based on the shortlisting criteria as outlined in the HomeseekerPlus policy.

Who owns the properties and how will they be managed?

The properties will be owned and managed by Stroud District Council, unless they are purchased through the Right to Buy scheme.