Historic Hall to be preserved for affordable retirement homes
Telford & Wrekin Council is poised to seal a deal with Wrekin Housing Trust (WHT) that could result in the development of 10 affordable homes and the façade of Haybridge Hall being saved.
The council plans to contribute £475,000 in section 106 funds which can only be used to deliver affordable housing, alongside funding from the Homes & Communities Agency and Wrekin Housing Trust, to make the scheme viable.
The Council’s funding would enable much needed affordable homes for the elderly at Haybridge Hall which will benefit from the Wrekin Housing Trust’s existing retirement living offer at the Hall.
Haybridge Hall closed some years ago and has since remained vacant. Telford & Wrekin Council refused a planning application to demolish it and build four new bungalows in January this year.
Since then, the council’s cabinet has approved the issuing of an article that would result in any demolition needing a full planning application.
However, this has not been served pending the outcome of ongoing discussions with Wrekin Housing Trust to bring the building back into viable use.
Councillor Richard Overton, the council’s deputy leader and cabinet lead for Housing, said: “The proposed scheme will secure an important heritage asset in Hadley and I know this will be welcomed by the wider community.
“The grant funding will deliver affordable homes for local people and also contribute to the Trust’s Retirement Living on the site, which has communal facilities and gardens.
“I am delighted that our negotiations with Wrekin Housing Trust have got us to this point which could prevent the demolition of Haybridge Hall’s historic façade and bring a historically significant building back into use.”
