Chance to have say on village housing

A survey being carried out into housing needs in Harbury is nearing its deadline - and current and former residents are being urged to have their say before it’s too late.

The Harbury parish council housing needs survey, launched earlier this month as a joint initiative with Warwickshire Rural Community Council, will determine the composition of the second phase of the Harbury Fields development at Hereburgh Way, for which outline planning permission for a further 27 homes has been granted to Linfoot Country Homes.

As well as the views of current Harbury and Deppers Bridge villagers, feedback from former residents, people who work there and those who have close relatives living in the parish is also being invited.

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So far the parish council and WRCC have received a staggering number of responses - but are keen to ensure everyone has a chance to have their say.

The first phase of 22 houses at Harbury Fields has recently been completed, with the local market and affordable homes available only to those with a local connection to the village and Deppers Bridge parish.

Linfoot Country Homes development director Claire Linfoot McLean said: “Although we have outline permission for second phase of the scheme, we now need to identify what types of home are required - how many bedrooms will be needed for example, as well as the mix of local market homes for sale and affordable properties to rent.

“We’re asking everyone in the village to respond to the survey, as well as those not currently living in the parish but who have a local connection and would be interested in moving there.”

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The deadline for completing the survey is October 31, and once the results have been analysed by the parish council and WRCC, Linfoot Country Homes will hold a further consultation exercise with locals before submitting detailed designs for final approval, with the aim of beginning work on site in 2012.

The initial phase, developed following a similar needs survey carried out in 2004, proved spectacularly popular, with people queuing from 6am on the day the scheme launched to reserve houses. There is already a long list of people hoping to buy one of the houses to be built in the second tranche.

The 13 affordable homes have been rented through the Warwickshire Rural Housing Association.

Anyone who doesn’t currently live in Harbury, where surveys will be delivered door to door, but has a local connection and is interested in moving back, should contact the parish clerk on 01926 614646 or Phil Ward at the Warwickshire Rural Community Council on 01789 472610 for a form.

Pictured: Phil Keohane, contracts manager at Linfoot County Homes