Park Street welcomes new affordable homes

08.04.2009

Residents are settling into their new homes in Frogmore, Park Street following the recent completion of 78 houses and apartments for Hightown Praetorian & Churches Housing Association (Hightown).

The site, previously occupied by a Kwik Save warehouse but also notable as being the location of the sound stages for the filming of the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies, has been developed by Hightown at a cost of £15.2 million, with £1.4 million support from St Albans District Council, and £3.4 million support from the Homes and Communities Agency.

The new development, known as Centaurus Square, comprises a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses. 44 homes are being rented to residents nominated by St Albans District Council. Ten apartments have been let specifically to Key Workers at intermediate rents, to help public service employers such as schools, hospitals, the police and fire services to recruit and retain people locally. A further 24 apartments have been made available at intermediate rents to support people struggling to get a mortgage in the current economic climate.

In a popular area with excellent travel links to London, Watford and St Albans City centre, the development provides much needed affordable housing on a brown field site – so significantly contributing to St Albans’ Housing Strategy.

To mark the completion of the project, the Mayor of the City of St Albans and District, Councillor Bert Pawle, officially opened the development on Friday 3rd April 2009.

At the event, Councillor Pawle said “This is a substantial new and attractive development of affordable homes, of which Hightown can be justifiably proud, and which meets a real local need.”

David Bogle, Chief Executive of HPCHA, said: “We are pleased to be able to provide these additional high quality homes for local residents, in partnership with St Albans District Council. The mix of homes offers opportunities for those on low incomes to rent accommodation, or through intermediate rent, start to save to purchase a home of their own.”  

The development was built by Bellway Homes.

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