01 Nov 2018
24Housing opinion piece: by Sue Shirt Executive Director, Housing
It’s easy to criticise Budget statements. We can point quite clearly to what could have received more funding in Monday’s Budget, and we can easily articulate where policy attention could have been better focused.
01 Nov 2018
Residents celebrate retirement living scheme’s ‘wow factor’
Residents at Tanglewood Lodge in Poole celebrated the stunning refurbishment of their retirement living scheme today (1 November), enjoying a special lunch with guests including local stakeholders.
31 Oct 2018
Opinion piece in Social Housing from Nicholas Harris CEO Stonewater
It has been a while since we’ve had a “good news Budget”, and Monday’s budget speech felt like welcome relief.
30 Oct 2018
Stonewater and Guinness to boost affordable house building with Homes England partnership
Guinness and Stonewater, two major social housing providers, are joining Homes England in a new strategic partnership. The government agency is to provide funding for the two organisations to begin building 4,500 additional, high-quality, affordable homes by 2022.
29 Oct 2018
Budget 2018 Statement
“Today’s Budget was good news for housing, and good news for our residents.
26 Oct 2018
Budget 2018: Housing must continue to be a priority
The Budget is rapidly approaching. For Chancellor Philip Hammond, Monday’s upcoming Budget will be the most important of his career to date: he’ll be presenting the final Budget before the UK leaves the European Union, marking another key milestone in the lead up to March 2019.
25 Oct 2018
National housing provider opens new high-tech office in Stourbridge
Supporting a mobile and digitally-enabled workforce has been the driving force behind the official opening this week of social housing provider Stonewater’s new high-tech regional office in Stourbridge.
25 Oct 2018
Green-fingered residents at Peter Dyer Court get gardening advice from local experts
The Autumn sun shone for resident volunteers at Peter Dyer Court in Mablethorpe last Thursday morning (18 October), when they began bringing new life to their retirement living scheme’s communal garden.
17 Oct 2018
Social Housing Article
The Risky Business of Brexit
Despite the Prime Minister’s promise to make solving the housing crisis her single most important objective, it’s the ‘B’ word which continues to capture headlines and take centre stage as we hurtle towards the March deadline for leaving the EU.
16 Oct 2018
Laptop gift boosts learning at St John’s Academy in Coleford
Sixteen brand-new donated laptops will help pupils at Saint John’s Church of England Academy in Coleford learn essential skills for the future.
16 Oct 2018
Comment piece - 24Housing
S&P Global Ratings has assigned its 'A+' long-term issuer credit rating to UK-based social housing association Stonewater Ltd. John Bruton, Stonewater Executive Director Finance, explains how this was achieved.
15 Oct 2018
Swindon celebrates International Coming Out Day with newly-launched LGBTQ+ youth group
International Coming Out Day (11 October) was celebrated in Swindon this week with the launch of Out of the Can+, a LGBTQ+ action youth group at Stonewater’s new Swindon Community Hub on Bath Road. International Coming Out Day aims to raise awareness for the LGBTQ community and the civil rights movement.
08 Oct 2018
Stonewater delivers 20 affordable rural homes for Long Itchington locals
A smart new development of 20 affordable Stonewater homes for local people has opened in Lilac View, Long Itchington.
05 Oct 2018
Nuneaton homeseekers to benefit from Stonewater low-cost shared ownership homes
Stonewater has started construction on 27 new affordable homes at Feather Lane in Nuneaton, including eight two- and three-bedroom houses for shared ownership.
03 Oct 2018
New affordable homes completed in Waterlooville
Leading social housing provider Stonewater is celebrating the completion of a £4.8 million affordable homes development for local people in Waterlooville.
01 Oct 2018
UK first - Stonewater and SovaCare pilot digital ‘experience tables’ in retirement living projects
Stonewater, in partnership with health game software company SovaCare UK, has piloted an innovative interactive digital ‘experience table’ aimed at helping older residents, including individuals with dementia, improve memory recall, brain function and communication.
27 Sep 2018
Conference highlights housing sector’s impact on economic growth
Speaking at the West Yorkshire Economic Growth Conference in Leeds last week, Sue Shirt, Stonewater Executive Director Housing said that "when the CBI says that the lack of decent affordable housing is a real barrier to the success of business and the economy, we know we have a national problem".
24 Sep 2018
‘Legendary’ local man shortlisted for national Foyer award
Local youth worker Derek George, a concierge officer at the Exeter Foyer in Commercial Road, has been shortlisted for a Foyer Legend Award at the prestigious national Foyer Federation Spark Awards which recognise the achievements and dedication of Foyer staff across the country.
21 Sep 2018
Nine unsung Swindon heroes recognised for going the ‘extra mile’
Leading sheltered and supported housing provider Stonewater which owns and manages supported housing projects in Swindon, has been shortlisted for two top accolades at The Foyer Federation’s Spark Awards.
19 Sep 2018
Stonewater welcomes £2bn fund for building low-cost homes
As one of the UK's a leading social housing providers, Stonewater welcomes the announcement. While we await further details, our Board is committed to delivering an ambitious development programme of new affordable homes. The announcement represents a significant pledge by government which will allow us to plan more effectively for the long term and maximise the number of new homes we can build in future.
- Nicholas Harris, Chief Executive, Stonewater
17 Sep 2018
Shared Ownership Week marked in Castle Cary as work starts on new affordable housing scheme
Stonewater has marked national Shared Ownership Week (20-26 September) with the start of construction on 26 affordable homes which include eight low-cost ‘part buy, part rent’ shared ownership properties in Castle Cary.
06 Sep 2018
Stonewater celebrates construction start on 14 affordable homes in Horsham
Leading social housing provider Stonewater has celebrated the start of construction on 14 new affordable homes on land next to The Holbrook Club in North Heath Lane, Horsham.
03 Sep 2018
Local veterans to gain construction skills and homes
Herefordshire armed forces veterans will gain valuable construction skills and experience whilst building their own brand-new homes, thanks to an innovative community partnership being led by social housing provider Stonewater in Leominster.
23 Aug 2018
Affordable homes to bring new life to former Leamington Spa cake factory
Construction is under way on a scheme to build 40 much-needed affordable Stonewater homes for local people on the site of a former cake factory at Sydenham Farm, St Mary’s Road, Leamington Spa.
20 Aug 2018
Construction starts on 44 affordable village homes in Houghton Conquest
Construction has started on a much-needed new development of 44 affordable Stonewater village homes in Houghton Conquest near Bedford.
14 Aug 2018
Stonewater responds to social housing green paper
Stonewater is pleased that the long-awaited social housing green paper has been published. We welcome measures to improve tenant satisfaction and empowerment, especially measures to tackle the stigma sometimes associated with living in social housing. We always strive to do better for our customers and look forward to meeting these new challenges. Improved safety standards too are welcome if we are to avoid a tragedy like Grenfell from ever happening again, as are measures to improve access to low-cost home ownership.
09 Aug 2018
Stonewater welcomes supported housing decision
As a leading social housing provider with a wide range of supported accommodation, Stonewater welcomes the Government's decision to retain supported housing funding within the welfare system.
09 Aug 2018
Stonewater appoints digital partner for ambitious transformation programme
Leading social housing provider Stonewater has appointed website and software development agency Hallnet, to deliver a fully integrated, digital self-serve platform for its customers, using Hallnet’s Active Housing system.
08 Aug 2018
Ratings Boost for Stonewater
Stonewater, one of the UK’s leading social housing providers, has today been assigned a long-term rating of A+ by independent credit ratings agency, S&P Global Ratings. The outlook is Stable.
07 Aug 2018
Old Seaton’s garage site provides 64 affordable new homes in West Hendford
A ribbon-cutting performed by Councillor Ric Pallister from South Somerset District Council marked the unveiling of Fosse Park Road, a new £5.8 million development of 64 affordable new Stonewater homes on the former site of Seaton’s Garage on Seaton Road, in West Hendford, Yeovil.
03 Aug 2018
Stonewater brings new life to former Queensway car park with 24 affordable apartments
A ribbon-cutting ceremony has marked the official opening of 24 affordable rented apartments at social housing provider Stonewater’s Ben Jacobs Court development in Queensway, Yeovil.
02 Aug 2018
25 new affordable homes help priced-out villagers stay in North Mundham
Villagers being priced out of the housing market in North Mundham, West Sussex, have reason to celebrate this week with the opening of Stoney Meadow, a development of 25 affordable Stonewater homes.
27 Jul 2018
New Foyer service provides safe temporary housing for young Poole parents
A new service to temporarily house young families living in unsuitable emergency accommodation has been set up at Poole Foyer in Hill Street a time when the Borough faces a chronic shortage of affordable rental housing.
26 Jul 2018
Stonewater takes stock of 309 affordable rental homes in Coventry
Stonewater, a leading social housing provider in the West Midlands, has increased its growing portfolio of 877 affordable homes in Coventry to 1,186 following a stock transfer of 309 tenanted rental homes from The Guinness Partnership.
18 Jul 2018
New Stonewater development boosts affordable housing in Market Harborough
The opening of 18 affordable Stonewater homes in Market Harborough is set to help the district’s ambitious affordable housing development programme which saw 120 new homes built last year, up by a record-breaking 33 per cent on the Council’s 90-home target.
17 Jul 2018
Stonewater celebrates completion of 30 much-needed affordable homes in Deddington
Leading social housing provider Stonewater has celebrated the official opening of 30 brand-new homes at Banbury Road in Deddington for local people struggling to find affordable homes in the area.
12 Jul 2018
15 new Stonewater homes in Wincanton set to help renters onto the property ladder
Leading social housing provider Stonewater has celebrated the start of construction on its 15-affordable-home Balsam Park development in Wincanton, which is being built to help people struggling to get themselves out of rented housing and onto the property ladder.
09 Jul 2018
Stonewater welcomes new Housing Minister
“Stonewater welcomes the new Housing and Planning Minister Kit Malthouse’s appointment today and we hope for a period of continuity and stability in the housing sector to support and help deliver the Government’s ambitious housing agenda.”
Nicholas Harris, Chief Executive, Stonewater
06 Jul 2018
Rural Housing Week marked at much-needed affordable village development in West Sussex
Leading social housing provider Stonewater has marked Rural Housing Week (2-6 July) in Coldwaltham, West Sussex, by giving delivery partners, local councils and nearby St James’ School a sneak peek at its almost-complete new affordable rental housing development, Shackleton Close.
06 Jul 2018
Coleford has 62 reasons to celebrate Rural Housing Week
Rural Housing Week (2-6 July) was marked in Coleford with the completion of 62 affordable market town homes at Thurstan’s Rise, a 156-home development at Owen Farm.
04 Jul 2018
Local MP visits innovative Stonewater low-cost housing scheme at church in Tilehurst
Local MP for Reading West and Minister of State for Employment, Alok Sharma, visited St George’s Church in Tilehurst where construction is progressing on an urgently-needed new community facility and 12 one- and two-bedroom Stonewater homes for affordable rent.
03 Jul 2018
Dorset village scheme highlights the challenges of creating affordable rural housing
Leading social housing provider Stonewater has celebrated the start of Rural Housing Week (2-6 July) at its upcoming 13-home affordable village development in Winterbourne Abbas, near Dorchester.
02 Jul 2018
Rural Housing Week: Shortage of affordable village homes is sucking the life out of rural Britain
Providing a small number of affordable homes which meet the needs and aspirations of local people could make the difference between village shops, post offices, pubs and schools staying open and available for the wider community or being forced to close.
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.
