Residents return to new look estate

 

Residents return to new look multi-million pound homes

Ten families – who left their homes two years ago - are amongst the first to move back into the new look Wilmington Way development.

Thirty seven new one, two, three and four bedroom homes have been built in the first phase of the £25 million redevelopment of 1960s housing estate Wilmington Way in Haywards Heath.  Around 70 families moved out in 2010 as demolition of the old homes began and 10 have now moved back in as the first phase completes.

Alison Foxwell, previously lived on the Wilmington Way estate for 10 years and moved into a brand new three bedroom townhouse with her two teenage sons in March after two years away.

She said:  “A lot of the estate is a building site but it already looks like a completely different place.  There are some familiar faces so it feels very friendly and already feels like a community.  I am delighted with my new home and it is fantastic to have so much space. It is just so nice to be back in Haywards Heath. “

The regeneration of Wilmington Way is a joint venture between national affordable housing provider Affinity Sutton and developer Linden Homes.  It will provide 186 new homes – of which nearly 40 per cent will be affordable. A mixture of houses and apartments will provide 115 homes for private sale together with 71 affordable homes for social rent.  All of the 186 homes are due to be completed by 2014 and will maximise the use of renewable energy – with special south facing pitched roofs designed to capture sunlight, get the most out of solar panels and reduce running costs. .

The completion of the first phase of homes was marked with the planting of a Whitebeam tree on Thursday 21 June by Affinity Sutton’s Group Operations Director Neil McCall and Councillor Chris Snowling, Cabinet Member for Health and Community, at Mid Sussex District Council.

Neil McCall, Group Operations Director for Affinity Sutton, said:  “We are delighted that this first phase of the Wilmington Way regeneration is complete. This latest joint venture builds on our already successful partnership with Linden Homes and allows us to continue to regenerate our communities and provide much needed affordable new homes in Mid Sussex.”

Chris Snowling, Cabinet Member for Health and Community , for Mid Sussex District Council, said:  “ Although we are only in the first phase of the new Wilmington Way development, the area has already been completely transformed and there is a vast improvement to both the style and quality of the housing. So far, 37 new affordable homes have been built, all of which are innovatively designed and meet high standards of sustainability.

“I am particularly pleased to see that 10 households who lived on the original Wilmington Way estate have chosen to return and the residents with whom I have spoken are very happy with their brand new homes.”