Press releases
Green Paper highlights housing ‘affordability’ issue
19 Apr 2018
The Labour Party is right to highlight the urgent need to build more truly affordable, good quality homes to tackle the chronic housing shortage which has left over a million people on council waiting lists and rising numbers of working people and families living in rent poverty.
Stonewater starts second phase of affordable homes in Lydney
18 Apr 2018
The second phase of a new development of 18 affordable homes in Lydney started last week (13 April) where at £225,636*, average house prices in the area are eight times the average local salary.
Fourteen new Shrivenham homes to help tackle local affordable housing shortage
13 Apr 2018
Fourteen affordable Stonewater homes off Highworth Road in Shrivenham, have recently been completed to help tackle the chronic shortage of affordable housing in the district which has seen average house prices increase by £22,100 in the past year.
New Stonewater homes help bridge affordability gap in Weston
09 Apr 2018
Hay Grove, a smart new £5 million Stonewater development of 35 affordable homes in Weston-super-Mare, has opened at a time when the cost of a typical home in North Somerset would require a 127 per cent pay-rise for local people on average incomes to afford.
£79,900 Longleigh grant to fund cash-strapped women’s refuge recovery programme in Southampton for next 12 months
05 Apr 2018
A cash-strapped women’s refuge in Southampton has been awarded a one-year, £79,900 grant to fund a desperately-needed regional recovery and rehabilitation scheme to help vulnerable women with complex support needs regain and rebuild their lives.
IT’s a piece of cake for Peter Dyer Court residents in Mablethorpe
04 Apr 2018
IT’s a piece of cake for senior citizens at Peter Dyer Court, a Stonewater retirement-living scheme for the over 50s in Mablethorpe which has just launched High Tea and IT – a monthly series of informal high-tech ‘socials’ to help older people in the community get to grips with the digital world and go online.
Stonewater completes major homes transfer in Southport
28 Mar 2018
An official handover has marked the transfer of 147 social rented homes in Southport by social housing provider Stonewater to Places for People Homes, the property and neighbourhood management arm of placemaking group Places for People, based in Preston. The transfer also includes estate management responsibilities for 72 privately owned properties in the town.
New Stonewater scheme tackles shortage of affordable rental apartments in Taunton
27 Mar 2018
Nine new low-cost rental apartments in Taunton are set to tackle the high cost of renting in the Borough where average rents swallow-up almost a third of local incomes, pushing many families into rent poverty.
New Stonewater homes make Burbage a more affordable place to live
21 Mar 2018
Stonewater’s St Dunstan’s Place development meets a growing need for a range of affordable properties in Burbage and the Marlborough area where the high cost of housing is driving local people, particularly young families, out of the community.
40 new Stonewater homes set to ease affordable housing shortage in Nuneaton
21 Mar 2018
A much-needed Stonewater development of 40 new affordable homes in Nuneaton has started on site at a time when the average cost of a home is seven times the average annual salary in the area.
Construction starts on 72 new Stonewater homes to help ease Leicester’s affordable housing shortage
20 Mar 2018
Stonewater’s Hamilton Lane development comes at a time when Leicester has the fastest rising private rents in the country and annual house price increases are the third highest in the UK, ahead of Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, Liverpool and Leeds.
Tariq Kazi joins Stonewater Board
14 Mar 2018
Tariq Kazi has been appointed to the Board of social housing provider Stonewater as Non-Executive Director and Finance Committee Chair.
Brighton conference brings experts together to address region’s chronic housing crisis
09 Mar 2018
Leading social housing provider Stonewater has welcomed the Chartered Institute of Housing’s (CIH) Total Housing 2018 Conference in Brighton this week (7-8 March), which has brought together industry experts from across London and the South East to address the region’s chronic housing crisis.
Construction takes shape on 24 affordable homes in Charminster
28 Feb 2018
A much-needed new development of 24 affordable Stonewater homes for local people is taking shape in Charminster, near Dorchester.
Swindon churches raise £8,700 to help vulnerable young people live independently
27 Feb 2018
Caring parishioners from three local churches in Swindon Old Town have raised an incredible £8,700 to fund a 12-week life skills programme to help vulnerable and homeless young people move successfully from their sheltered accommodation into living independently in a home of their own.
Heacham residents to benefit from housing management transfer
21 Feb 2018
In a move to provide a more efficient local service for residents, leading social housing provider Stonewater has transferred the day-to-day management of its 45 properties at High Houses in Station Road, Heacham, to Broadland Housing Association in King’s Lynn.
Weobley scheme shortlisted for District Heating Project of the Year award
01 Feb 2018
An innovative renewable heating system installation, piloted by leading social housing provider Stonewater at Burton Gardens in Weobley, has been shortlisted for H&V News’ District Heating Project of the Year award.
Social housing provider moves regional offices to Coventry
23 Jan 2018
Leading social housing provider Stonewater, which owns and manages 9,025 homes in the West Midlands, has moved its regional office from Leamington Spa to new state-of-the-art premises at the Enterprise Centre in Coventry University Technology Park, Coventry. The event was marked this week by a ribbon-cutting ceremony which was attended by The Lord Mayor of the City of Coventry, Councillor Tony Skipper.
Longleigh Foundation makes strategic appointment
22 Jan 2018
Cristina Andreatta has joined new national grant-giving charity Longleigh Foundation as director with strategic responsibility for developing its grant-funding programme and expanding its work across England.
Stonewater appoints four new customers to its national Scrutiny Panel
17 Jan 2018
Following a successful recruitment drive, social housing provider Stonewater has made four new customer appointments to its national Scrutiny Panel - a residents’ group which helps shape and improve the organisation’s housing services.
Volunteers bring Christmas cheer to Reading retirement scheme
20 Dec 2017
Kind-hearted staff from B&Q at Reading Gate Retail Park have donated their time and decorating skills to help bring some Christmas cheer to residents at Raglan Court, a retirement living scheme in Blagdon Road, Reading.
Stonewater foyers and refuges appeal for e-gift vouchers for vulnerable residents this Christmas
19 Dec 2017
Ten foyers and women’s refuges across the South of England are appealing to the community for Amazon e-gift vouchers to help bring some festive cheer to its vulnerable residents.
Evercreech pupils learn about housebuilding
05 Dec 2017
Pupils from Evercreech Church of England Primary School had the opportunity to see how houses are built in their village when they toured a new development of 30 affordable Stonewater homes under construction in Maesdown Road.
Great Budget for getting Britain building
22 Nov 2017
With housebuilding currently running at around half the level needed to meet national demand, this is a great Budget for getting Britain building and one which promises to remove some of the major blockages which are stopping affordable homes from being built.
Stonewater secures £50m AHF loan to build more affordable homes
20 Nov 2017
Stonewater, one of the UK’s leading social housing providers, has secured £50 million of 30-year funding from Affordable Housing Finance plc (AHF). The funding will help finance Stonewater’s ambitious affordable housebuilding programme which aims to deliver 2,765 new affordable homes over the next four years.
Stonewater completes ambitious five-year affordable housebuilding programme in Poundbury
17 Nov 2017
There were 14 good reasons for local people to celebrate this week following the handover of the final phase of affordable new Stonewater homes in Poundbury’s North East Quadrant.
Police officers help local retirement living residents fight crime
16 Nov 2017
A police-led crime prevention awareness event organised by Dewsbury police officers has helped residents at Stonewater’s Savile Court retirement living apartments in Queen Street, Ravensthorpe, stay safe.
92-year-old Burma Star veteran makes digital connection
15 Nov 2017
92-year-old Mablethorpe Burma Star veteran, Mervyn Ellicott, is determined to become digitally-savvy after signing up for personalised IT training sessions at Sutton-on-Sea Library and Community Hub. The sessions were organised with social housing provider Stonewater which operates Peter Dyer Court, a retirement living scheme in Seacroft Road where Mervyn lives.
£250m bonds issue as Stonewater ramps up affordable housebuilding programme
06 Nov 2017
Stonewater, one of the UK’s leading social housing providers, ramped up its ambitious affordable housebuilding programme this week (3 November) with a £250 million, 3.375% bonds issue it will retain for future sale to investors.
New ‘she-sheds’ help local women’s refuge residents find sanctuary
26 Oct 2017
Caring staff from wealth management company Old Mutual Wealth in Southampton, have volunteered their time and DIY skills to transform two old storage sheds at South Hampshire Women’s Refuge into ‘she-shed’ garden getaways for residents.
Response to Government announcement that Local Housing Allowance cap plans will not go ahead
25 Oct 2017
We welcome this announcement which follows the concerns expressed by so many in the sector – including ourselves – about the potential consequences of capping housing benefit in the social housing sector at the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates for residents, particularly for vulnerable people living in sheltered and supported housing.
New Stonewater homes make Yapton village more affordable for local people
24 Oct 2017
Living in Yapton became a little less expensive for local people struggling to afford housing in the village, with the release of 11 affordable Stonewater homes in Emerald Gardens this week.
North Mundham pupils’ stars reveal ‘ins and outs’ of willow weaving
23 Oct 2017
Youngsters at North Mundham Primary School in School Lane, North Mundham, have been busy learning the ancient rural craft of willow weaving from award-winning willow sculptor, Victoria Westaway.
Melbury Court residents set to benefit from Stonewater homes purchase in Swanage
22 Oct 2017
Leading social housing provider Stonewater has celebrated the purchase of nine two-bedroom social rent apartments from Sovereign Housing Association, at Melbury Court in Cranborne Road, Swanage.
Six reasons to celebrate for affordable home-seekers in Bearwood
18 Oct 2017
Leading social housing provider Stonewater has marked the official opening of a new mini-development of six affordable rental homes in Anjou Close, Bearwood.
Top national award win for inspiring former Poole Foyer resident
17 Oct 2017
Kyle Jenkins, former resident of Quay Foyer in Poole, has won the Inspiration Award for always giving 100% to the young people he mentors, despite complications in his own life.
Justin Tomlinson MP visits affordable housing scheme in Swindon
16 Oct 2017
Justin Tomlinson MP visited a development of Stonewater homes for shared ownership and affordable rent at St. Quentin Close, Swindon, on Friday, 13 October 2017, to see how local housing providers are helping people onto the housing ladder, as well as supporting local people with affordable housing.
Stonewater wins Innovation of the Year for Longleigh Foundation
13 Oct 2017
Social housing provider Stonewater has won a top national innovation award for the creation of Longleigh Foundation, a new independent grant-giving charity which helps the UK’s most vulnerable residents and communities affected by poverty and welfare cuts.
Top national Foyer award for unsung Exeter hero
12 Oct 2017
Alan Sharp has won the Unsung Hero Award for going above and beyond the call of duty in his role as Senior Project Worker at the Exeter Foyer in Commercial Road.
Healthy living is on the menu for Peter Dyer Court residents in Mablethorpe
09 Oct 2017
Leading a healthier lifestyle is on the menu at Peter Dyer Court, a Stonewater sheltered housing scheme for the elderly in Mablethorpe.
Construction begins on 24 affordable village homes in Desford
08 Oct 2017
Construction has begun on 24 affordable village homes at The Paddocks, a brand-new development at Hunts Lane in Desford village, near Leicester. The new affordable homes which are being built for leading social housing provider Stonewater by Bellway Homes, responds to a critical shortage in the area of good quality, low cost housing for local people.
Stonewater gives ‘thumbs-up’ to Government’s new social rent deal
06 Oct 2017
We are delighted that the Government has listened to social housing providers and announced a new rent settlement that sees a return to rent reviews linked to inflation.
Stonewater appoints new IT Director
06 Oct 2017
Stonewater, one of the UK’s leading social housing providers, has appointed Amit Patel as its new Director of IT. Amit will join Stonewater from PA Housing where he was Director of Corporate Services.
Stonewater welcomes PM’s social housing plans
04 Oct 2017
The Prime Minister’s promise today to build hundreds of thousands of truly affordable new homes across a range of tenures is great news for the many people currently struggling to afford decent housing across the country and who are stretched to breaking point to pay their mortgages and rents.
Smart new affordable homes open in Crawley with an ‘imperial’ twist
03 Oct 2017
It was good news this week for Crawley residents struggling to find affordable housing in the town with the completion of Imperial Mews, a brand-new Stonewater development of 48 rental and shared ownership homes in Brighton Road.
Inspiring former Poole Foyer resident shortlisted for top national award
27 Sep 2017
Kyle Jenkins, a former resident of Quay Foyer in Poole, has been shortlisted for the Inspiration Award at the Inaugural Foyer Awards 2017 which recognise the achievements and dedication of Foyer staff across the country.
Pilot heating system set to tackle fuel poverty and halve local residents’ home heating costs
26 Sep 2017
Housing association residents in a development of 49 one- and two-bedroom bungalows in Burton Gardens, Weobley, are set to have their heating bills halved as work begins on the installation of an innovative renewable heating system which draws heat energy stored in the earth.
Unsung Exeter hero shortlisted for national Foyer award
25 Sep 2017
Local man Alan Sharp, who works as a Senior Project Worker at the Exeter Foyer in Commercial Road, has been shortlisted for the Unsung Hero Award at the Inaugural Foyer Awards 2017 which recognise the achievements and dedication of Foyer staff across the country.
New housing development responds to affordable homes shortage in Leicester Forest East
22 Sep 2017
A brand-new development of urgently-needed Stonewater homes for local people struggling to find good quality affordable housing in the Leicester area, was officially opened this week in Leicester Forest East.
New Longleigh Foundation partnership to fund youth social action projects in Dorset
21 Sep 2017
A joint-funding partnership aimed at helping young people in some of Dorset’s most deprived communities make a positive impact in their local neighbourhoods has been announced this week.
