New affordable homes for priciest postcode outside London

Housing association Peabody, Harpenden Town Council and Homes England are celebrating the completion of 24 new affordable homes at Roan Place in Harpenden, St Albans.

Published: 02/10/2023

---

The milestone was celebrated with an event, attended by Harpenden’s mayor, Cllr Fiona Gaskell. 

 

Homes England supported Peabody to help build a mix of affordable homes for local people in one of the most expensive places to live outside London. These include twelve social rent, two affordable rent, and ten shared ownership homes.  

 

Nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac, mature woodland surrounds Roan Place, and all homes have access to a garden or balcony.  

 

The homes include one-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom houses for shared ownership, helping local people get on the housing ladder, and two- and three-bedroom houses for those on the housing register - helping local families stay in the area.  

 

To reflect the area’s history and heritage, the development has been named Roan Place after the town’s link with horseracing.  

 

The road name Rolt Close was chosen in partnership with the town council and local history society to commemorate a fallen WWI soldier who lived in the town. The development’s branding also incorporates a weaved design representing Harpenden’s straw-weaving industry in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. 

 

Located one mile away from Harpenden’s town centre, residents can travel by train to London in a little over thirty minutes, or vibrant St Albans in five minutes. Travelling further afield, Luton airport is just a 15-minute drive away.  

 

Elena Brodetsky, Delivery Director at Peabody, said: “With demand for affordable homes growing 10 times faster in rural areas than in towns and cities, these high-quality homes are great news for local people wanting to get on the housing ladder or off the housing register.  

  

“Roan Place offers people a peaceful, suburban neighbourhood with fantastic transport links to London and beyond, in what is one of the most sought-after areas outside London. We welcome new residents as they settle in and remain committed to providing more much-needed homes.” 

 

Cllr Fiona Gaskell, Mayor of Harpenden, said: “The new development offers homes in Harpenden to people who otherwise may not have the opportunity to live here. The Town Council has delivered the development within an attractive landscaped environment, situated between the Westfield Recreation Ground and neighbouring allotment site. All homes have access to outdoor space with a garden or balcony and the wider area improvements makes this an attractive, yet affordable option for many local people.” 

 

Jacqui Taylor, Lead Councillor for Housing for St Albans City and District Council, said: “Providing more social and affordable housing is one of our priorities as a Council, so we are delighted to see Peabody providing high-quality homes in Harpenden.  

“There are twelve social rent homes included in this development and these will go to families on our housing register who have been waiting for a permanent home of their own. They will be able to put roots down in an outstanding location where house prices are unaffordable for most people.” 

 

A spokesperson for Homes England, said: “Despite the current challenges affecting the country, accelerating housebuilding remains our number one priority. We are committed to supporting Peabody, who have ambitions to build new homes, and our investment through affordable housing grant allows us to do that. We’re delighted that this funding has enabled Peabody to deliver much needed new homes in Harpenden.”