Wokingham

The first brick laid at St Crispin’s Secondary School in Wokingham, brings a step closer Wokingham District Council’s innovative housing scheme that aims to help stop teachers and other key workers from being priced out of working in the Wokingham district by the high cost of housing.

Work began at the Wokingham school in May, clearing land which is currently unused by the school and seen as an eyesore by some local people. And the first brick was laid by the council’s executive member for community care and housing Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons, helped by headteacher Alex Biddle, Warden Housing’s Christina Appleton and Louise Strongitharm, the council’s senior housing strategy and development officer.

Wokingham Cllr Helliar-Symons said: “I am delighted that construction work on this innovative scheme is now well under way, building much-needed housing for new teachers. Since these homes are available at a much lower rent than can be found in the private sector, it will make it easier for new teachers to start to save something towards buying their own house. I also hope it will encourage good teachers to come to Wokingham and stay in our schools."

Some 22 flats are to be built on the school site and could be ready for occupation at the start of the 2007-08 school year. Priority would be given to teachers but if there proved to be insufficient teacher demand for the St Crispin’s homes then the council would offer them to other criminal record-checked key workers, such as police officers, nurses and social workers. The flats would be let at 20-25% below normal rent levels on short-term tenancies.
Working together with Warden Housing, this pilot project could mean that Wokingham District Council is one of the first in the country to build much-needed key worker accommodation on unusable or surplus school land.

Christina Appleton, Wokingham project manager, Warden Housing said: “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with Wokingham District Council on this exciting development. It makes excellent use of a disused area of land and will provide high quality accommodation for the key workers who work in the local community.”

St Crispin’s headteacher Alex Biddle said: “I am pleased to see the project now firmly under way. It is absolutely vital that we do all we can to attract and retain the best teachers into the district's schools: the governors and I are delighted that we are able to contribute to this goal.”

Anyone wanting further information should contact Louise Strongitharm, Wokingham senior housing strategy and development officer, on (0118) 974 6779 or louise.strongitharm@wokingham.gov.uk

Wokingham District Council