Housing enabler Sharon Packer with Colin Hibberd, of Bucketss, at the site. Picture by Peter Boam.
A PRESTIGIOUS new building project, situated within the heart of Brighstone, will include six cottages specifically for local people.
In what is thought to be the first scheme of its type on the Island, the two-bedroom cottages will be offered for sale at a discounted rate of £115,500 and £119,000.
They will be available to people with a connection to the Isle of Wight, with a priority given to those with a connection to Brighstone, Shorwell and Calbourne.
The Heath Cottage rural housing scheme is being developed by local builder J. R. Buckett & Sons Ltd and is jointly funded by the developer and the Isle of Wight Council.
Sharon Packer, Isle of Wight Council rural housing enabler, said: "The continuation of high house prices, second homes and holiday lets, against the comparatively low wages on the Island, means a lot of people cannot afford to buy their own home.
"As people are forced to move away from the villages looking for affordable housing, both villages and public facilities are lost. This could mean losing shops, schools, post offices, pubs and public transport, thus the remaining residents lose their support network, such as friends and family, and become more isolated."
The six cottages are part of a larger open market development and follows the success of Kerry Fields, Nettlestone; St Mary’s Court, Brading; and a property in St Helens.
Colin Hibberd, a director of Bucketts, said they wanted to incorporate an element of affordable housing into the scheme in order to ensure all family generations could go on to enjoy Brighstone.
He said: "We have deliberately created a mixed tenure site at the centre of the village.
"This is a very innovative idea — I don’t believe there is another discounted, open market value scheme on the Island."
He said the development had been sympathetically designed to fit in with its surroundings.
• People can see the plans at Brighstone Primary School on Thursday and Friday, between 6pm and 9pm.
Reporter: martinn@iwcpmail.co.uk