| 10 June 2019
Summary: Local councillors have visited a former air base site in Cambridgeshire where Metropolitan Thames Valley is building hundreds of new homes.
Metropolitan Thames Valley is building 210 new homes in total – including 131 new affordable properties – at the RAF Brampton site near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire.
Originally the headquarters of the US Army’s First Air Division during the Second World War, RAF Brampton was subsequently home to a number of different facilities – including air force personnel accommodation and an air reconnaissance intelligence centre. In 2013, the base officially closed, and sections of the site were sold for development.
Metropolitan Thames Valley is building a range of apartments and houses with up to four bedrooms, comprising 92 homes for affordable rent, 39 for shared ownership – a part-buy, part-rent scheme designed to help buyers on low to moderate incomes get on the property ladder – and 79 for market sale.
Leading housebuilding group Galliford Try Partnerships is Metropolitan Thames Valley’s construction partner on the project.
Councillor Ryan Fuller – Executive Councillor for Housing, Planning and Economic Development at Huntingdonshire District Council – visited the site this week to view some of the new homes which have already been completed. He was accompanied by fellow councillor Jon Neish. The homes for rent will be provided to residents on the local authority’s housing register.
Councillor Ryan Fuller said: “We are delighted to see these new affordable properties being provided to residents in Huntingdonshire, reinforcing our commitment to delivering high quality affordable homes in the District. It’s a development that addresses the shortage of affordable homes, enabling people to continue living in the area and contributing to the local economy and keeping our communities together. Supporting affordable housing remains a high priority for the Council and we are committed to continuing to play our part in providing homes for those who may not be able to afford housing at market levels.”
Lisbeth Banner, Head of Delivery at Metropolitan Thames Valley, said: “We’re proud to be delivering quality new homes here at the former RAF Brampton site – including more than 130 aimed at helping local people to rent and buy affordably in the area.”
Carol Cairns, Head of Home Ownership and Supply for Homes England – the public body which funds new affordable housing – in the South East said: “Homes England is committed to working with partners to accelerate the delivery of affordable homes, so it’s great to see these homes for affordable rent and shared ownership meeting the local need.”
Andy Reynolds, Regional Director for Galliford Try Partnerships stated, “We’re delighted to be working with Metropolitan Thames Valley to deliver this significant mixed tenure development in Brampton. The range of dwellings and various tenures will offer the widest possible choice of affordable homes built to the highest standards.”
Andy Dowding, partner at Franklin Ellis Architects, said: “It’s wonderful to continue our relationships with both Galliford Try and Metropolitan Thames Valley on this project, delivering 210 quality houses and apartments to the community. We were delighted to work closely with the team at Galliford Try once again to deliver this scheme, having also supported them in their tender bid. This mixed tenure development was complex with a wide array of house types and apartments and an emphasis on quality – it is very rewarding to bring Metropolitan Thames Valley’s vision to life.”