Children from Jacobstow are shaping the identity of affordable housing in their village by helping to choose a street name for a new scheme.
Pupils from Jacobstow Community Academy visited the site at Edgar Road, where 13 affordable homes, including one, two and three-bedroom properties are under construction.
It’s the first new development in five years by Cornwall Rural Housing Association. To celebrate, the association invited the children to enter a street naming competition, set to be unveiled on the scheme’s completion next spring.
CRHA and its partners KMD Development welcomed the children onto the site, where they received their own mini-toolkits and were able to get hands-on with assembling dormouse nesting boxes, ready to install in hedgerows near the homes.
They were also joined by Scott Mann MP, who has passionate interest in rural, affordable housing - having previously been a resident of affordable housing in Wadebridge.
Beth Willey, teacher at Jacobstow Community Primary School, said: “The children got very interested and involved. We started by looking at different categories to inspire names, such as a local birds, trees and landmarks.
“We’re excited to see what will be picked and to eventually see the street take on this name. Affordable housing is so important for this part of Cornwall, and will enable more families and children to live in the village where they go to school.”
After much research, nine potential names have been presented to CRHA, and a short list of two are now being considered.
David Bolton, chief executive of Cornwall Rural Housing Association, said: “We have a housing crisis in Cornwall, as well as the wider UK, and this crisis can be felt particularly hard in rural communities.
“I have seen the huge impact that just two affordable homes can have on a rural community, and here I am delighted to see 13 new affordable homes, all at social rent levels, under construction.
“Affordable housing helps keep rural communities sustainable. It keeps families together and helps the local economy. For example, the local village shop nearby will soon benefit from an additional 30 or more people living here.”
Each of the homes at Edgar Road will be digitally enabled using the latest smart home technology. The development will also include solar powered street lighting, as well as outdoor live/work spaces – undercover spaces that could be used for working from home or socialising and relaxing.
In addition, plants and shrubbery will be introduced on the development to support the local bee and dormouse population.
Scott Mann, MP for North Cornwall, said: “The unaffordability and lack of good housing for working people in our local community was one of the driving factors that brought me into politics.
”I’m very pleased that Cornwall Rural Housing Association has been at the forefront of delivering sustainable solutions for North Cornwall, and this new development, the first in five years, will offer a huge boost to Jacobstow. I would like to extend my thanks to all the partners who have come together to make this a reality.”
The Edgar Road scheme is expected to be completed in Spring 2024.