WORK has started on the development of 45 new affordable homes on a Kidderminster site that has not been used for more than 20 years.

The affordable homes are being built on the Victoria Sports ground site, off Spennells Valley Road.

The high-quality homes will help meet the needs of local residents in Kidderminster and will be available in a range of sizes, including one-bedroom maisonettes and three-bedroom houses.

To mark the beginning of construction, social housing provider Stonewater celebrated alongside developers Living Space at a start-on-site event on Wednesday, September 11.

A total of 27 of the brand-new homes will be available for affordable rent, with the remaining 18 homes available to buy through Stonewater’s shared ownership scheme as an affordable way to help people take their first step onto the property ladder.

The new homes will be constructed using two complementary types of red brick and will be surrounded by public open space and a newly created ecological area.

Matthew Crucefix, assistant director of development, said: “At Stonewater our colleagues work incredibly hard to find opportunities in areas that lack affordable housing, like Kidderminster, that will allow us to build as many brand-new homes as possible and so we are pleased to have secured this prime development site, which is ideally located on the outskirts of Kidderminster town centre.

“These homes will be offered across a mixture of tenures – including affordable rent and shared ownership – so that depending on the needs of the family or individual, there will be a suitable and affordable option for them, working towards our vision of giving everyone the chance to have a place they can call home.”

Steve Davies, managing director of living space housing said: “For the design, planning and construction of this development, we have been incredibly mindful of the need to have a clear perimeter to respect the proximity of Kidderminster Golf Course.

"The Victoria Carpets Sports Ground represents the first deal that we have struck with Stonewater and it is the first of our developments where work is starting on site.

"This scheme has driven us to set up the extensive supply chain we have in place and we are very grateful for the support from our sub-contractors, consultants and the entire Stonewater team.”