Matfield Affordable Housing

Plans to provide more affordable homes for local people in Matfield have come a step nearer to reality.

As house prices rose over the last decade, many local people found that they could not afford to live in the village and were forced to move out or live with friends and relations.

Planning permission has now been granted for six affordable homes in Chestnut Lane. There are 2 one-bed flats, 2 two-bed houses and 2 three-bed houses, all for rent by people who can show they have a local connection.

The £900,000 project is the fruition of hard work by Brenchley Parish Council, Town & Country Housing Group and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. It is hoped that building work will start later this year, with the homes ready to move into 12 months later.

They will be allocated through Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s choice-based lettings scheme.

Colin Lissenden, interim development director at Town & Country, said: "We are delighted that permission has been granted for these much needed homes. The partners have worked closely to produce a scheme which meets local housing needs and has been designed to fit in well with the village."

Mike Mackenzie, Chairman of Brenchley Parish Council, added: "If it were not for the resolute campaigning of Mrs Rosemary Kinnear and the Affordable Housing Team over more than twenty years, the current Parish Council would not have been able to complete the task they started all that time ago. For the people of the parish who would like to remain or come back, it is a time to celebrate and we look forward to starting a further development in the near future, this time in Brenchley."

For more background on the Matfield Affordable housing project click here for the previous article at the time of the exhibition of plans in February.