Developer marks building 1,000th home

Horsham District councillor for Southwater Claire Vickers with Saxon Weald chairman, David Avery, chief executive, David Standfast, and members of the company's development team outside the 1,000th home at Roman Lane, Southwater - photo by Toby Phillips

The house, owned by Saxon Weald, is at Roman Lane in Southwater, and is part of a £7.3 million scheme providing 52 homes.

They are a mixture of affordable rent and shared ownership, which are part owned by the resident and the housing association.

The company’s first new homes were built in Billingshurst in spring 2003.

Since then, Saxon Weald has spent £120 million on providing new homes across West Sussex, East Sussex and Hampshire.

In the Horsham district the company has built 489 new affordable homes and a further 229 elsewhere in West Sussex.

Mark Crosby, business development director, said: “Our 1,000 properties have provided a wide variety of new homes.

“We’ve built affordable family houses, retirement apartments for active over 60s, extra care apartments for older people needing support, environmentally friendly eco-homes, shared ownership homes for first-time buyers and housing sympathetically designed to fit into villages.

“We won’t be stopping there though as the need for affordable homes continues to grow. There are many people, including those who are working, who simply cannot afford to buy or rent in the private market.

“In our home district of Horsham alone, the council has more than 400 households on their waiting list.”

David Standfast, chief executive, added: “Saxon Weald’s thanks go to all those who have helped us reach this important milestone.

“From council staff and members, architects, developers, suppliers and of course, residents – we couldn’t have done it without your support.

“We look forward to working with you on our next 1,000.”

To ensure there is a balance between private and social housing, Horsham District Council requires developers to build affordable housing for all developments of more than five homes.

For sites providing between five and eight new homes, 20 per cent of them must be affordable.

On sites providing between nine and 14 new homes, the council requires 30 per cent of dwellings to be affordable.

Larger development of 15 homes of more, or on sites of more than half a hectare, developers must have 40 per cent.

Where onsite provision is not achievable a financial contribution equivalent to the cost of the developer providing the units on site.