South Gloucestershire Council

Over the past year Merlin, the not for profit housing association, has replaced 18 aging and unecological properties and a rank of garages in Coalpit Heath with 39 modern, affordable homes. Customers moved into their new homes last month and last week were invited to a party to officially open the £5.2m development.

The new homes are some of 130 properties the housing association is aiming to develop this year. By 2019 Merlin’s goal is to be building 300 homes every year.

South Gloucestershire Council’s Adults, Housing and Public Health lead member Cllr Ben Stokes said: “I am delighted the new residents are settling in to this attractive development in Coalpit Heath. The flagship scheme provides much-needed affordable homes in South Gloucestershire and is a good example of partnership working towards the same goal of building high-quality, energy-efficient new affordable homes.”

Merlin’s Development Manager Noreen Twomey said: “These are the first affordable homes that have been built in the villages for many years, which helps local people who may have been priced out of finding a home of their own in the village.

“This is our biggest single development to date, but we’ve got plans to build many more homes over the coming months and years, including another 45 in Coalpit Heath.”

The new homes are a mix of one and two bedroom flats, two and three bedroom homes and a two bedroom bungalow, specially designed for a wheelchair user. Part of the funding for the homes came from the Homes and Communities Agency, which awarded Merlin £2.4m under its Affordable Homes Programme.

With these homes now completed, Merlin is now planning to start work on further redevelopment of properties on several other sites in the village and in neighbouring Iron Acton. A total of 44 properties will be demolished and 72 new, affordable homes built in their place. Work is due to begin later this year.