Project will provide 14 affordable homes
STANDING unused for four years, work to transform a village church near Bridgend into more than a dozen new homes is well underway as part of a £1.4m project.
A total of 14 new homes will be built on the site of Carey Baptist Church in Aberkenfig after work is completed at the new housing development.
The development has come about after Hafod Housing Association, Bridgend County Borough Council and Housing Justice Cymru got together to turn the unused building into much-needed affordable accommodation for the community.
When church owners – the Baptist Union of Great Britain – were working with a commercial agent to sell the site for private development, Hafod Housing Association approached the local authority to discuss redeveloping the church for residents.
Terms were later agreed with the Baptist Union and the council to develop 14 affordable apartments on the site, and Hafod were helped by Housing Justice Cymru in their bid to broker a deal to buy the land, through its Faith in Affordable Housing project.
Housing Justice Cymru works with churches across Wales to help release land for affordable housing – and the deal with Carey Baptist Church was the first of its kind in the county.
Work is said to be progressing well at the site, with the 10 one-bedroom homes and four two-bedroom apartments due to be completed in November before they become available to rent.
Demand for homes in Aberkenfig is recorded as being high, with more than 300 people currently registered on the combined Common Waiting List for one and two-bedroom homes.
Funded by Hafod Hous- ing Association and the Welsh Government’s Social Housing Grant and Smaller Properties Funding, the homes are being developed by Bridgendbased contractor Holbrook Homes.
Alan Morgan, managing director of Hafod Housing association, said there was high demand for housing in the area while the project had brought local economic benefits.
He said: “This development shows the benefits of working in partnership and it’s very rewarding to see the site of a disused building being transformed into affordable housing in an area where there is high demand.
“Working with a locally based contractor is also helping to boost the local economy and support jobs”.
Sharon Lee, director of Housing Justice Cymru, said: “We’re delighted to see much-needed affordable homes on this former church site.
“Churches across Wales can be part of the solution to housing need, and this development is a great example of what can be achieved by working together.”
Councillor Ceri Reeves, Bridgend Council’s cabinet member for communities, added: “This project is going to take an unused corner of the county borough and transform it so that it can offer modern housing for local people.”
The homes will be allocated through the local authority’s common housing register.
Anyone requiring further information is asked to contact Bridgend Council.