Wokingham Housing Limited (WHL) is a housing developer set up to create high quality affordable, social and market homes for local people in Wokingham borough by Wokingham Borough Council. As a wholly-Council owned company WHL work’s towards a number of objectives including: •B ridging the gap between housing need and housing availability •R evitalising communities through development •G enerating a profit as an organisation that can be re-invested into meeting future housing needs or Borough services such as schools, highways and adult social care.
Loddon Homes is a provider of social and affordable housing in Wokingham Borough, accredited with Homes England in 2016 as a For-Profit Registered Provider. Loddon Homes purchases high quality housing from its sister company Wokingham Housing, and by doing this we can be confident that the homes provided to Loddon Homes residents are of a high standard, fit for purpose and built by partners that share their vision and values. Loddon Homes forms part of a group of companies that are wholly owned by Wokingham Borough Council, to provide first class services as well as generating a financial return that can be invested back into communities and services. Residents of a Loddon Homes property can expect a home that is well managed and maintained and that they can be proud of where they live.
Berry Brook Homes is a new company providing rented housing at lower than market rate in the Borough of Wokingham. Through it’s investment strategy, Berry Brook Homes part subsidises the building of new houses so rents charged are less than typical of homes available for private let. These houses are then rented to local people whose financial circumstances warrant renting at below market average. Berry Brook Homes forms part of a group of companies that are owned by the Council to build and deliver housing in the Borough. Each company has been established to provide a financial return that can be invested back into communities and services while providing first class homes. The majority of Berry Brook properties are purchased from its sister company WHL.
Upon completion of a WHL housing development it is transferred to it’s sister Local Housing companies Loddon Homes or Berry Brook Homes who act as caretaker and landlord.
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Wholly owned companies of
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Fosters, Woodley Fosters is an independent living scheme of 34 self-contained one bedroom apartments for rent. Fosters was designed to be dementia-friendly throughout, and provides quality affordable housing together with the reassurance of a 24/7 on-site care and support service provided by Optalis, our adult social care company. Each of the 34 apartments feature spacious living/kitchen area, dual access wet room and neutral carpets and décor throughout as well as private balcony or terrace area. There are also places to get together and socialise in the two comfortable communal lounges with tea bars, an open courtyard, a café and dining area, as well as landscaped gardens. Fosters was partly funded with thanks to a government grant from the Homes England Affordable Housing Programme for £1.5million. Wokingham Council A2 boards v6.indd 2
Reading Road, Wokingham Reading Road is a purpose built young care leavers scheme. It will provide nine 16-25 year olds with a stepping stone to independence. The completed development includes two self-contained flats and seven bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms as well as communal lounge, kitchen and gardens. The scheme also offers care and support for the young people as they make a positive transition into adulthood. This development received upwards of £300,000 in grant funding from the Homes England Platform for Life programme. 15/04/2018 20:29
Anson Crescent, Shinfield This development of two, two bedroom and two, one bedroom apartments at Anson Crescent in Shinfield completed last year. The new homes were handed over to Berry Brook Homes as landlord for the development. Anson Crescent was bought to WHLs attention by a local Councillor who identified a piece of unused amenity land that was a hot spot for Anti-Social Behaviour. This site is an excellent example of how unused Council land assets can be better utilised for affordable housing.
Grovelands, Winnersh
Before development
This scheme comprises of six, two bedroom semi-detached houses and will be available for affordable rent. The first three homes were completed and handed over to Berry Brook Homes in December 2017. The homes include energy efficient heating systems including solar panels and good sized gardens to the rear.
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Barrett Crescent, Wokingham This small development of two, two bedroom maisonettes in the centre of Wokingham was made partly possible thanks to a ÂŁ36,500 Shared Ownership grant from Homes England. These new homes sit on the land of a former council-owned garage site that had fallen into significant disrepair. The new apartments are available for Shared Ownership. To register interest in any Shared Ownership properties please visit: helptobuysouth.co.uk
Elizabeth Road, Wokingham Like Barrett Crescent the new homes at Elizabeth Road have been built on a former derelict garage site. In their place comes two, spacious three bedroom houses available for Shared Ownership. This development also benefitted from a near ÂŁ50,000 Shared Ownership grant from Homes England as part of a national campaign to invest in social and affordable housing.
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Phoenix Avenue, Wokingham A £13 million scheme of 68 affordable homes for rent, in the heart of Wokingham’s Norreys community; the development replaced the former dilapidated Eustace Crescent blocks of flats. The new homes are a mixture of one bedroom apartments to four bedroom houses. All 68 houses and apartments feature sustainable and efficient energy systems, gifted carpets and floor coverings throughout and either private garden or balcony. The regeneration of this area was made possible through a combination of commuted sums developer contributions and borrowings. Upon completion the new homes were handed over to Berry Brook Homes.
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Upcoming developments
Norton Road, Wokingham The site of a former Councilowned print works in the centre of Wokingham at Norton Road is about to be transformed. Ground works have now begun for this new development of three, two bed affordable rent houses and six, two bedroom apartments for Shared Ownership. In total this site will receive over £250,000 in Shared Ownership grant from Homes England. The build programme will take just under a year and is expected to complete in January 2019.
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Gorrick Square, Wokingham This singular property development is a three bedroom detached bungalow that has been designed to meet the specialist requirements of three adults with supported living needs. WHL has worked closely with the adult social care and occupational therapy teams at Wokingham Borough Council to ensure that the home is built with the needs of its future residents in mind. The development will receive £135,000 in Specialist Housing grant from Homes England and is expected to start on site during 2018.
Finch Road, Earley This development is WHL’s first joint venture development delivered in partnership with Burwood Homes. Burwood Homes and the Council have worked together to combine two adjacent sites and swap some land through a partnership arrangement that will replace two old properties with six brand new houses. The final development will provide four homes for outright sale and two homes for Shared Ownership. The Shared Ownership properties on this site are possible thanks to a further Shared Ownership grant of £28,000 from Homes England.
Middlefields, Ruscombe This site will include two, two bedroom homes for Shared Ownership that will be made possible with thanks to a grant of more than £25,000 from the Homes England Shared Ownership Programme. The Middlefields site will make use of unused Wokingham Borough Council amenity land within an existing residential area.
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