Chairman praises work of Shropshire housing company

Last week Cornovii Developments Ltd was granted planning permission for 23 houses and bungalows on a site in Ellesmere.

An application is also in for housing on the site of the former primary school in St Martins near Oswestry and contractors are now on site on land in Shrewsbury.

The company was set up by the council in 2019 with the aim of building 1,000 houses across the county in five years.

Councillor Mark Jones, chairman of the Housing Supervisory Board at Shropshire Council, said Cornovii Homes was a true flagship for Shropshire Council.

"It will deliver much needed housing for Shropshire residents by building sustainable and excellent quality homes," he said.

“The development at Ellesmere has been carefully planned, well designed and includes the appropriate infrastructure to support people to live and work in our county. I’m delighted that Cornovii Homes are building homes people will love living in.”

He said one of the main differences of the Cornovii developments was the percentage of affordable homes that were being built.

"It is looking at providing up to 40 per cent of the houses as affordable homes," he said.

"There is also the ability to work together with STAR Housing to look at whether we can provide homes to let."

He said Shropshire Council was also able to use the Community Infrastructure Levy and lever in other funding to invest in land that may otherwise not be suitable for housing.

Cornovii says the Ellesmere development, which will be accessed off Bridgewater Street, has been designed with a range of property types to address local need.

The site had previously been earmarked for 60 flats.

Ellesmere Town Council and Ellesmere Rural Parish Council both supported the application and there were no representations from members of the public.

Eight of the properties will be affordable homes – six as affordable rent and two to be marketed as shared ownership.