A development of 123 new affordable homes in Boston was officially opened on Monday 3rd July thanks to Growth Deal funding secured through the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

The houses on Broadfield Lane in Boston were built by employee-owned Lincolnshire construction company Lindum for the Waterloo Housing Group and will be officially opened at a ceremony today.

As part of its £4.2m Unlocking Rural Housing Programme funded by the government through the Growth Deal, the Greater Lincolnshire LEP provided £750,000 to facilitate delivery of 75 of the homes on the site.

The money was used to meet the additional costs of flood mitigation requirements on the site.

"We funded this scheme because we recognise the importance of housing to the local economy and the contribution which housing makes to growth,” said David Dexter, Deputy Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP.

“Despite clear evidence that additional housing is needed, developers in Greater Lincolnshire have been unable to access sufficient funding to meet the additional costs of overcoming flood risk.

“That’s why, in our very first Growth Deal which we negotiated with the government in 2014, we developed our £4.2m Unlocking Rural Housing Programme. 

“Working alongside the Homes and Communities Agency, Boston Borough Council and local partners, our programme provides part of the funding mix which enables those sites to be developed. It will be a great pleasure to see these homes completed.”

Cathy Jones the LEP attended the official opening along with Anthony Riley (Group Director of Development and Operations at Waterloo Housing Group), Councillor Michael Cooper (Leader of Boston Borough Council), and Simon Gregory (Managing Director of Lindum Group).

Anthony Riley, Waterloo Housing Group Director of Development and Operations, said: “We are delighted to have worked with the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Boston Borough Council and the Homes and Communities Agency to fund this significant new development of affordable rented and shared ownership homes in Boston, which were built by our trusted partner Lindum. 

“This development at Broadfield Lane was the largest scheme to complete in 2016/17 for Waterloo Housing Group, which completed in total over 1,000 new homes in the year across the Midlands and Lincolnshire.”

Simon Gregory, MD of Lindum Construction, said “As a local construction company we support the use of local contractors and suppliers and are proud to be a part of the team responsible for creating these much needed affordable properties and hope the residents enjoy living in their quality new homes.”

In total nine housing schemes have benefited from the LEP’s Unlocking Rural Housing Programme in Boston and East Lindsey: Broadfield Lane, Boston, Church Road, Old Leake; Meadow Way, Old Leake, Riverside, Boston, 41, Scarborough Avenue, Skegness, Saxon Fields, Skegness, The Quadrant, Boston, Tytton Lane East, Boston and Woodthorpe Avenue / Toot Lane, Boston.