Northcote Drive, in Monks Eleigh, near Sudbury, ‘ghost estate’ close to fruition after Chapman Stickels places five homes on market
After years as a so-called ‘ghost estate’, a village housing scheme is moving closer to fruition after properties were placed on the market at a discount, specifically for local people.
Estate agents Chapman Stickels has listed five new homes at the Northcote Drive development, in Monks Eleigh, as discounted market sale (DMS) properties.
These homes are only available for people with a local connection, with the agents requiring any interested potential buyers to meet certain criteria before they will be considered for a viewing.
It comes after the estate recently took in its first occupants, after several years of sitting empty.
Permission was granted in 2018 for 17 homes at the old primary school site, but the original developer folded after they had been built to partial completion, before a new owner took over.
As part of the planning conditions, five of these properties were designated for affordable rent, however, the new ownership was unable to find a housing association to buy them.
Subsequently, Babergh District Council agreed to allowing a change to the planning permission, so they could be listed as DMS properties,
A council spokesperson said: “This means that those five homes will be sold below market price to buyers with a local connection who meet strict criteria – at least ensuring some form of affordable housing will still be delivered by this site.”
To be eligible to purchase these properties, prospective buyers must either currently live or work in Babergh, for at least the last two years, or they were a resident of the district for six of the past 12 months, or three of the previous five years.
Alternatively, they must be the provider or recipient of substantial care to or from a relative who has lived in Babergh for at least the last six months.
Monks Eleigh Parish Council has welcomed the commitment to delivering these specific homes on a restricted covenant, as it ensures that local people will occupy them.
