Social housing delay leaves ghost estate
An affordable homes estate remains empty six months after it was officially opened.
No-one has been able to move into the eight social housing homes in St Anne's Chapel near Kingsbridge in Devon because of "issues" with a contractor, says the local council.
Kathy Hutchings, who was hoping to be in by last Christmas with her daughter, said she was "living in limbo, just stuck".
South Hams District Council (SHDC), which held an opening ceremony in November, said it was trying to resolve the issues and getting tenants in was a "top priority".
The development of new affordable homes called Holywell Meadow got an official launch on 23 November by the council, which gave some of the prospective tenants the opportunity to view the homes.
"For the first time in a generation, we have built our own affordable homes which will help tackle the district’s housing crisis," said the local authority at the time.
Among those looking around the estate were Ms Hutchings and her daughter, who work in a local cafe.
But the pair are still commuting from Cornwall.
Getting on the shortlist for the houses had been a "dream come true", said Ms Hutchings.
She said: "This was our prayers answered.
"It was the best Christmas present ever, because we thought we would be in by Christmas."
She said the delay had been "very stressful".
"You feel like you're living in limbo, just stuck.
"And it's not just us. There are eight families all waiting, who were like us, packed, ready to go at Christmas.
“You have to just trust that it will happen eventually," she said.
Parish councillor Val Scott said she was "very disappointed”.
"It has kept getting delayed," she said.
"First it would be ready in June or July, and that went on and on and on.
"We just want it all to be sorted as quickly as possible so that people like Kathy and those other people who have been waiting to get in as soon as possible."
The council declared a housing crisis in 2021 because of the lack of affordable homes for local people.
House prices in the district were above the England and Wales average at £385,000 in 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics, while wages lagged behind the average.
At the opening in November, SHDC described building its own affordable homes on land provided by a local farmer as a "generation first".
Councillor Denise O’Callaghan, executive member for housing at South Hams District Council, said the authority was "very disappointed" about "issues" it was having with a contractor.
It was trying to resolve matters and getting tenants in was a "top priority".
"We are all doing all we can to ensure this happens as quickly as possible," she said.
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