27 Jun 2018
Stonewater film highlights innovative schemes that are tackling affordable housing crisis
A short Stonewater film about the positive impact sheltered and affordable housing has on the lives of some of the most vulnerable homeless groups premiers this week (26-29 June) at the Chartered Institute of Housing’s (CIH) Housing 2018 national conference in Manchester – Europe’s largest housing event.
26 Jun 2018
Government’s £1.67 billion social housing deal is good news for rural and ‘new town’ communities
“The Housing Secretary’s announcement on more funding for the social housing sector today is good news for rural and 'new town' communities where there is a chronic and increasing shortage of homes for social rent which young families so desperately need. As a housing association with an ambitious development strategy focused on bringing more affordable housing to these communities, we are pleased to see a commitment to targeted investment in areas where there is a significant affordability gap between the average housing costs in the local open rented market and average costs in the social rented sector. Many of these are in Stonewater’s operating areas across the South, South West and South East and pockets of the Midlands. We also hope this investment will be supported by continuing planning reform so that these urgently-needed homes can be delivered quickly where they are needed most.”
– Jonathan Layzell, Stonewater Executive Director for Development
22 Jun 2018
Stonewater makes a stand for women in crisis
Stonewater, a leading social housing provider, has joined a national campaign to tackle domestic abuse within its housing communities across England.
12 Jun 2018
Harriett Baldwin MP visits Great Witley village scheme to discuss affordable rural housing
MP Harriett Baldwin joined social housing provider Stonewater for a tour of a small development of 10 affordable village homes in Glendower Way, Great Witley where she met residents.
07 Jun 2018
Work starts on 70 new affordable homes to combat housing shortage in Faringdon
A turf-cutting ceremony has marked the start of construction on an exciting new village development of 70 affordable Stonewater homes for local people at Fern Hill Gardens, off the Coxwell Road, on the south-west side of Faringdon.
05 Jun 2018
Stonewater village scheme to help 36 households find affordable homes in Mosterton
A turf cutting ceremony has marked the start of construction on 36 much-needed affordable Stonewater homes for local people in Mosterton Village near Beaminster. The new development of 28 houses and eight bungalows in Windsor Close, on the south-west edge of the village, will provide a mix of low-cost rental, shared ownership and Rent to Buy homes.
04 Jun 2018
Swindonians invited to shape new Community Hub services at all-week free coffee morning
Swindonians have an opportunity to shape the services of the new Swindon Community Hub in Old Town this week (4-8 June) at a Community Consultation Coffee Morning in the former Slinky Hairdresser’s building at 17 Bath Road from 10:00am to 12:00 noon.
30 May 2018
Work starts on innovative affordable housing scheme that’s funding St George’s new community hub in Tilehurst
Construction started this week on an innovative development that will transform a derelict church hall and brownfield site within the grounds of St George’s multi-ethnic church in St George’s Road, Tilehurst, into an urgently-needed new community centre and 12 affordable rental homes for local people.
28 May 2018
Stonewater cuts Weobley residents’ heating costs with innovative pilot heating system
An innovative new heating system which will significantly reduce residents’ heating costs has been installed at a development of 49 one- and two-bedroom bungalows in Burton Gardens, Weobley.
18 May 2018
Council opens new Stonewater development of low-cost rental homes in Aldershot
Rushmoor Borough Council’s Councillor Mike Roberts cut the ribbon this week at the official opening of social housing provider Stonewater’s new £1 million development of eight one- and two-bedroom low-cost rental apartments in Aldershot.
17 May 2018
Stonewater marks start of New Homes Week by boosting affordable housing development
Marking the start of national New Homes Week (14-18 May), social housing provider Stonewater, which recently opened nine new low-cost rental apartments in Priory Bridge Road, Taunton, has announced ambitious plans to boost its housebuilding programme.
17 May 2018
Experts gather at Bristol housing conference as rural South West faces affordable homes crisis
Thousands of affordable rural homes are urgently needed in the South West to avoid the region’s rural towns and villages becoming pockets for only pensioners and wealthy second home-owners. The warning from social housing provider Stonewater comes during New Homes Week (14-18 May) as housing professionals from across the region gather for the Chartered Institute of Housing’s (CIH) South West Housing Conference in Bristol (16-17 May).
16 May 2018
Stonewater marks start of New Homes Week by boosting affordable housing development.
Marking the start of national New Homes Week (14-18 May), social housing provider Stonewater, which recently opened a new development of 14 affordable homes for rent and shared ownership off Highworth Road in Shrivenham, has announced ambitious plans to boost its housebuilding programme.
14 May 2018
Stonewater marks start of New Homes Week by boosting affordable housing development
Marking the start of national New Homes Week (14-18 May), social housing provider Stonewater, which recently opened a new development of 35 affordable homes for rent and shared ownership at Hay Grove in Weston-super-Mare, has announced ambitious plans to boost its housebuilding programme.
09 May 2018
Coldwaltham youngsters inspire chainsaw artist’s village sculpture
Youngsters at St James’ Primary School in Coldwaltham, have been busy helping renowned West Sussex chainsaw carver Dave Lucas from the Woodland Centre, develop ideas for a public artwork at the new Shackleton Close affordable housing development, due for completion in August this year.
01 May 2018
Affordable housing relief for Sherburn-in-Elmet
A stylish new village development of 30 affordable Stonewater homes which start at £53,200 for a 40 per cent share in a two-bedroom house, has opened in Sherburn-in-Elmet, near Selby. The houses, for low-cost rent and shared ownership, are part of Strata’s new 120-home Carousel Walk development.
23 Apr 2018
Capsule captures Stonewater’s 2000th home in time
The planting of a time capsule by pupils from Evercreech Church of England Primary School near Shepton Mallet has marked the completion of a milestone 2000th new affordable home by ambitious social housing provider Stonewater since it was formed in 2015.
19 Apr 2018
Green Paper highlights housing ‘affordability’ issue
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.
18 Apr 2018
Stonewater starts second phase of affordable homes in Lydney
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.
13 Apr 2018
Fourteen new Shrivenham homes to help tackle local affordable housing shortage
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.
09 Apr 2018
New Stonewater homes help bridge affordability gap in Weston
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.
05 Apr 2018
£79,900 Longleigh grant to fund cash-strapped women’s refuge recovery programme in Southampton for next 12 months
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.
04 Apr 2018
IT’s a piece of cake for Peter Dyer Court residents in Mablethorpe
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.
28 Mar 2018
Stonewater completes major homes transfer in Southport
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.
27 Mar 2018
New Stonewater scheme tackles shortage of affordable rental apartments in Taunton
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.
21 Mar 2018
New Stonewater homes make Burbage a more affordable place to live
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.
21 Mar 2018
40 new Stonewater homes set to ease affordable housing shortage in Nuneaton
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.
20 Mar 2018
Construction starts on 72 new Stonewater homes to help ease Leicester’s affordable housing shortage
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.
14 Mar 2018
Tariq Kazi joins Stonewater Board
Tariq Kazi has been appointed to the Board of social housing provider Stonewater as Non-Executive Director and Finance Committee Chair.
09 Mar 2018
Brighton conference brings experts together to address region’s chronic housing crisis
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.
28 Feb 2018
Construction takes shape on 24 affordable homes in Charminster
A much-needed new development of 24 affordable Stonewater homes for local people is taking shape in Charminster, near Dorchester.
27 Feb 2018
Swindon churches raise £8,700 to help vulnerable young people live independently
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.
21 Feb 2018
Heacham residents to benefit from housing management transfer
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.
01 Feb 2018
Weobley scheme shortlisted for District Heating Project of the Year award
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.
23 Jan 2018
Social housing provider moves regional offices to Coventry
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.
22 Jan 2018
Longleigh Foundation makes strategic appointment
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.
17 Jan 2018
Stonewater appoints four new customers to its national Scrutiny Panel
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.
20 Dec 2017
Volunteers bring Christmas cheer to Reading retirement scheme
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.
19 Dec 2017
Stonewater foyers and refuges appeal for e-gift vouchers for vulnerable residents this Christmas
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.
05 Dec 2017
Evercreech pupils learn about housebuilding
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.
22 Nov 2017
Great Budget for getting Britain building
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.
20 Nov 2017
Stonewater secures £50m AHF loan to build more affordable homes
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.
17 Nov 2017
Stonewater completes ambitious five-year affordable housebuilding programme in Poundbury
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.
16 Nov 2017
Police officers help local retirement living residents fight crime
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.
15 Nov 2017
92-year-old Burma Star veteran makes digital connection
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.
06 Nov 2017
£250m bonds issue as Stonewater ramps up affordable housebuilding programme
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.
26 Oct 2017
New ‘she-sheds’ help local women’s refuge residents find sanctuary
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.
25 Oct 2017
Response to Government announcement that Local Housing Allowance cap plans will not go ahead
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.
24 Oct 2017
New Stonewater homes make Yapton village more affordable for local people
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.
