Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) has secured funding to initiate the construction of new social housing in the Millbay area of Plymouth. The funding gives the city and its partners much-needed momentum to address the deeply-rooted local housing crisis. It enables the organisation to bring scores of desperately-needed homes back into use for residents on the Devon Home Choice waiting list.
Andrew Lawrie, PCH’s head of development, said he was delighted with the funding decision, calling it “a fantastic result.” He pointed to this project as a major step in establishing “a brand new community” for the region.
PCH expects to start building on property near Bath Street in mid- to late-February. The initial stage of the project will consist of 80 homes built specifically for social rent. These homes will include a combination of one and two-bedroom apartments, as well as three-bedroom homes. These first homes are estimated to be completed as soon as early 2029.
Taken together, detailed planning permission has now been granted for more than 135 affordable homes in the Millbay area. BDP Architects has been hard at work designing and planning the project. One example of their award-winning work is a pedestrianised street known as MILLBAY MEWS. This future thoroughfare will be lined with planted flower beds and decorative window boxes, making their new community’s main street even more beautiful.
Renderings from the architect’s drawings show a colorful environment, where members of their community can blossom. The drawings show people walking down the sidewalk. One of the people stands out from the rest, as the woman who walks with brightly colored walking sticks, wears a beret, and carries a yoga mat and backpack. A man walks two dogs past the installation. At the same time, two cyclists travel down the lane, a glimpse into how bike-friendly infrastructure creates a family-friendly environment.
PCH’s new Take Root initiative aims to produce more deeply affordable housing. It intends to build social capital, improve the community’s collective quality of life, and further residents’ overall health. As construction progresses, PCH will continue to engage with local stakeholders to ensure that the development meets the needs of future occupants.
