Three brand new almshouses have just been built – the first purpose-built ones to go up in Hurst since 1664.
Hurst Consolidated Charity has built the stylish new homes to help people who cannot afford the high cost of buying or renting locally. They are open to the public this Saturday (27th) from 9am to 1pm.
HCC has appealed to community-minded land owners to donate more land so they can build more almshouses.
Charity chair John Edwards said: “The charity’s trustees are delighted to be able to add the Richard Bigg Almshouses to our stock of homes. We now have 20 in Hurst and Twyford.
“We are desperate for affordable housing in this area. We’ve just built on land generously given by Anne Peck who lived nearby at Hurst Lodge. If someone gave us more land we could build more homes.
“The residents pay a weekly maintenance contribution set at an affordable level, much lower than a market rent,” said Mr Edwards.
The new residents, a couple and two single people, are moving in soon.
Many almshouse residents are elderly, but the Hurst charity’s constitution allows it to house “needy people” living in Hurst or adjacent parishes.
This means key workers like teachers, police officers and ambulance staff can also be given homes.
The Richard Bigg Almshouses, named after a 17th century benefactor of the charity, are in Hinton Road and cost £600,000 to plan and build. They have 21st century facilities including solar panels, disabled access, wet room bathrooms, stylish kitchen areas and gardens, complete with bird feeders.
Mr Edwards praised work on the project by architect Tony Compton and TP Architects of Maidenhead and Nutley Construction of Burchetts Green.
Almshouses house 35,000 people in the UK. Around 1000 new ones are being built. “There has been a big surge because so little social housing is being built,” added Mr Edwards.
The Harrison Almshouses in London Road, Twyford were built in 1640 and the William Barker almshouses opposite St Nicholas Church, Hurst in 1664. Four almshouses next to the new ones in Hinton Road, were originally built for retired nurses in the 1960s.
- The charity can be contacted by emailing lorraine.gladdish@btinternet.com
