Halstead 71-home development sees first show home open

A total of 71 homes are being built on land off Mount Hill in Halstead.

It comes after the original proposal, which was submitted in 2018 and rejected, was approved on appeal in July 2019.

A reserved matters application seeking to finalise plans for the appearance and landscaping of the site was put forward in 2021.

Braintree Council planners voted to give the development the green light despite Halstead Town Council’s concerns.

The council had major worries over potential impact on flooding in the area off the A131.

Following the go-ahead, developers began working on the homes.

Eastlight is now giving residents an opportunity to visit a show home at the development.

Owned and managed by the housing association, Mount Hill is a fully-affordable scheme.

It forms part of Eastlight’s mission to “tackle crippling housing need across the East of England”.

A total of 55 of the homes will be sold for low-cost home ownership even if people haven’t enough for a traditional mortgage deposit.

The remaining 16 houses, maisonettes and bungalows are for affordable and social rent, helping to house some of the 2,500 people on the Braintree Council housing waiting list.

The Mount Hill development has also seen Eastlight reach the milestone of building its 1000th home since being formed in 2020.  

Development director Andrew Hull said: “We’re incredibly excited to finally unveil our first ever show home at Mount Hill, and we look forward to welcoming residents to come see what this scheme has to offer.

“Our ambition is to try and ensure everyone who needs a home has access to one that they can sustain.

“By planning and developing our own housing, we can make sure they're fully affordable, built above building regulations and accessible for residents from all walks of life.

“We hope the 71 homes on this development are as well loved by our new Eastlight residents as they are by us.”

The site is due for completion in summer 2024.