Shropshire developer cuts affordable homes over cost

The houses are being built on Ellesmere Wharf

A council's housing company has cut the number of affordable homes on one of its developments over costly setbacks.

Cornovii Developments Ltd said it had to reduce the number of affordable properties at its Ellesmere Wharf site to "mitigate" extra costs incurred in the construction process.

The firm was given permission in 2021 for 23 houses on bungalows on land near the canal.

It said it would explore other ways to provide more affordable homes.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said plans had included two properties to be sold under shared ownership with another six let at affordable rent.

However the council's housing supervisory board was told this was reduced to two affordable rented properties - meeting the minimum 10 per cent required by local planning policies - and no shared ownership homes.

Councillor Julian Dean asked Cornovii's managing director Harpreet Rayet whether this was going to become a trend.

But Mr Rayet said Cornovii was committed to exploring ways it could deliver more affordable homes, including potential to partner with Homes England.

He added the Ellesmere scheme had run into numerous problems with on-site services and had one of its contractors go bust after beginning the work.

As a result, the development was delayed and the company had to push back the dates it hoped to be able to release the homes for sale.

It was now hoped that the first homes would be available between November and January, with the site to be completed by May or June 2024, the meeting was told.