Tenants move into council-built affordable homes

The St Ann's Chapel site has eight affordable homes

Tenants have moved into eight new council-built affordable rental properties in Devon.

The homes in St Ann's Chapel are only for people who work locally or have a family link with nearby Bigbury.

They have been built by South Hams District Council in a step to tackle the housing crisis, in its "first in a generation" project of affordable homes.

The South Hams has the third most expensive houses in the South West, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Abbie Fish settles into her new council-built home near Bigbury

One of the new tenants Abbie Fish said: "I cried when I got the phone call. I absolutely love it."

Ms Fish and her two young children had been renting privately in Aveton Gifford and recently qualified for a home at St Ann's Chapel because her sister lives nearby in Bigbury.

She said the new property saves her about £400 a month in rent and "the garden and house are much bigger than our previous home and we now have heating".

She said she felt "so lucky" to move in and "it's security for me and my children."

Holywell Meadow site at St Ann's Chapel

Chairman of South Hams District Council, Bernard Taylor said: "The site was donated by a farmer. It features eight affordable homes and also three additional houses that will be sold on the open market."

He said the homes will "certainly make a difference in this small area" and promised more similar sites in the future.

Mr Taylor said the new houses are "the first in a generation of council-built affordable houses".

Two of the eight affordable homes at St Ann's Chapel

Andy Woods from Kingsbridge Estate Agents said: "Eight homes are great, but we need more. Eighty might start to help."

He said he has more than 100 people registered looking for affordable rental properties in the area.

He explained the average cost of renting a three-bedroom house in the local area ranges from £850 to an "extortionate" £1500 a month.

He said: "The situation is difficult, there is not enough stock, too many people are looking and locals are priced out as many work in the hospitality trade."

The new homes are low energy thanks to air source heating

There are currently 924 people on the waiting list for housing in the South Hams area according to Devon Home Choice.

South Hams District Council says in Bigbury the average house price in 2022 was £775,000 and the rental cost has gone up by 24.2% between 2018 and 2024.

The chair of the Devon Housing Commission, Lord Richard Best said it was a county wide problem and was "really serious".

"We are desperately short of homes that people can afford to live in.

"If you are under 40 and you want to work, have a proper job and live in Devon - you're in trouble", he said.