Another plan for 35 flats in Crayford
Plans are in for 35 new homes in Crayford on a site beside the River Cray.
Bellway Homes are behind the scheme which will include the restoration of a locally listed barn.
It is 100% “affordable” housing though 75% of that is shared ownership, which isn’t affordable to many. Paying rent on top of a mortgage and then service charges (plus some ground rent to boot in many cases). And for all that the “buyer” gets around a 25% share for the same price that would have garnered 100% a generation ago. Still, developers are doing very nicely from it.
There be dragons
The site Iron Mill Lane named after a mill that made plate for armour. Valyrian steel? We just don’t know.
I enjoyed reading the history of the area in planning documents. Surrounding homes were built by Vickers for staff in 1917 after a munitions plant was established during World War One. It followed a model in Cumbria named Vickerstown.
This was an era when many companies built homes for workers, such as the Royal Arsenal co-operative estate in Abbey Wood which commenced in 1900. These days I expect some NIMBIES would moan continuously if a company proposed anything – regardless of whether affordable or not.
Interesting Nationwide are looking to build homes directly in their hometown of Swindon which could perhaps kickstart the tradition.
Click here to view plans.
19/00941/FULM | Demolition of existing buildings, rebuilding of the existing Barn to provide 35 residential units (Use Class C3) as Affordable Homes (Shared Ownership and Affordable Rent) comprising 22 x 2 bed flats, 1 x 2 bed house, 7 x 3 bed houses and 5 x 4 bed houses and provision of car parking, cycle parking, landscaping and associated infrastructure. | Land East Of Maiden Lane Crayford Dartford Kent DA1 4LX
