Area of town identified as suitable for large executive homes
Wednesday, 12th October 2011.
Large executive homes for Haverhill could only be built in an area of the town where those who could afford them would feel 'comfortable' to live, Haverhill Town Councillors were told last night.
Members of the council's planning committee received a presentation from Robert Maidment of Boyton Hall about an idea for four large executive homes on his land.
They would be plots for self-build and would help to balance up the types of housing available in the town, Mr Maidment said.
"I and others have been trying for years with various groups to achieve a better balance of housing in Haverhill," he said.
"But developers always say they cannot build top-end houses because they can't sell them, so we have been trying to get an area of Haverhill where the idea would work.
"One area is around us at Boyton Hall. There are eight existing large properties and there is a gap in the middle where one could put these four houses."
Mr Maidment said the idea aimed for houses between 2,200 and 2,800 sq ft, and of a specified minimum quality, which would be ensured by the planners at St Edmundsbury Borough Council, with possible input from the Maidment family.
He asked for the town council's support in trying to move the idea forward, and invited members to inspect the site, which they agreed to do.
Cllr Phillip French said it was important anyone who started to build one of the houses was able to finish it.
"Absolutely," said Mr Maidment, "and we don't want people to buy the plots and sit on them, so we would be looking for legal agreements."
Cllr French said: "We have had self-build in Haverhill before, and it produced some interesting architecture and it all worked well."
Mr Maidment said he had originally been part of the consortium which is aiming to develop north-west Haverhill, but he had pulled out because he felt money was the driving factor in that plan.
"I have been around here long enough to know that if you do that in Haverhill you get all cheap housing," he said. "We want to achieve a balance."
The houses would be retailing in the £400,000 to £800,000 area, he said.
"People who can afford that won't buy in Haverhill unless they feel it's a comfortable area to live, and the trees and the proximity of Boyton Hall make for that," he said.
Members of the council's planning committee received a presentation from Robert Maidment of Boyton Hall about an idea for four large executive homes on his land.
They would be plots for self-build and would help to balance up the types of housing available in the town, Mr Maidment said.
"I and others have been trying for years with various groups to achieve a better balance of housing in Haverhill," he said.
"But developers always say they cannot build top-end houses because they can't sell them, so we have been trying to get an area of Haverhill where the idea would work.
"One area is around us at Boyton Hall. There are eight existing large properties and there is a gap in the middle where one could put these four houses."
Mr Maidment said the idea aimed for houses between 2,200 and 2,800 sq ft, and of a specified minimum quality, which would be ensured by the planners at St Edmundsbury Borough Council, with possible input from the Maidment family.
He asked for the town council's support in trying to move the idea forward, and invited members to inspect the site, which they agreed to do.
Cllr Phillip French said it was important anyone who started to build one of the houses was able to finish it.
"Absolutely," said Mr Maidment, "and we don't want people to buy the plots and sit on them, so we would be looking for legal agreements."
Cllr French said: "We have had self-build in Haverhill before, and it produced some interesting architecture and it all worked well."
Mr Maidment said he had originally been part of the consortium which is aiming to develop north-west Haverhill, but he had pulled out because he felt money was the driving factor in that plan.
"I have been around here long enough to know that if you do that in Haverhill you get all cheap housing," he said. "We want to achieve a balance."
The houses would be retailing in the £400,000 to £800,000 area, he said.
"People who can afford that won't buy in Haverhill unless they feel it's a comfortable area to live, and the trees and the proximity of Boyton Hall make for that," he said.
Comment on this story
[board listing] [login] [register]
You must be logged in to post messages. (login now)