CHILDREN from Cheriton Bishop Primary School recently visited the new development of eight affordable homes for local people to rent being built in the village.

Eric Bunting, contracts manager, from Classic Builders, gave the children a safety briefing and told them all about the development, assisted by Bryan Strang, the site manager.

Cheriton Bishop Community Land Trust (CLT) was formed in 2011 to provide affordable housing for local people in the village.

The Parish Council had been looking into the provision of affordable housing for some time and the decision was taken to form a CLT as this was thought to be the best way forward. A housing needs survey was carried out in 2012 which identified a need for a scheme of eight affordable homes. The Rural Housing Team and Mid Devon District Council also assisted with the site search by carrying out a site appraisal in January 2013. This appraisal identified several possible sites within the village, including the site which was finally chosen for the development.

The CLT liaised regularly with Teign Housing, the Rural Housing Enabler from Mid Devon District Council, the Wessex CLT Project, Mid Devon District Council planners and the Rural Housing Enablers from Devon Communities Together to take the scheme forward to the planning permission stage.

The planning application went to MDDC’s Planning Committee on June 3, 2015. It was decided that planning permission will be granted, subject to a legal agreement on how the houses will be allocated.

The development consists of two x one bedroomed flats, two x one bedroomed houses, three x two bedroomed houses, one x three bedroomed home.

It is being developed with Hastoe Group working in partnership with the CLT and other partners with funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Homes and Communities Agency.

All the homes are sustainable and the works are being completed by Classic Builders.