A MUCH-NEEDED development of 10 affordable rental proper - ties is taking shape at Rosebank in Millfield, Chard.

Stonewater, one of the UK’s leading housing providers, is working with South Somerset District Council (SSDC) and Brookvale to deliver the £1.5mil - lion scheme that will offer a mix of five two-bedroom, two three- bedroom and one four-bedroom houses and two two-bedroom flats.

“We’re very pleased to be work - ing with SSDC and Brookvale to deliver this important develop - ment of affordable homes for rent in Chard,” said Jonathan Layzell, assistant director of de - velopment at Stonewater.

“There is a real need in the area for more good quality homes, which local people – the lifeblood of the local economy – can afford to rent. Small housing schemes like this one in Rose - bank, which enable people who grew up in the area to stay close to their families, friends and support networks, are vital to ensuring the long-term sustain - ability and vitality of Chard and its surrounding communities.”

This latest housing scheme in the town follows the completion of 56 new homes for affordable rent and shared ownership in Great Western Road, and the current conversion of the for - mer Working Men’s Club at in Fore Street into five flats for af - fordable rent.

All 10 new properties are be - ing built to a Code for Sustain - able Homes Level 3 efficiency rating with energy-saving fea - tures to keep residents’ energy bills down and minimise carbon emissions, and the development is due for completion in October this year.

Colin McDonald, corporate strategic housing manager at the district council, said: “This scheme is the latest in a long- standing relationship between the council and Stonewater and its two predecessors Jephson and Raglan, which has seen a total of over 100 new homes developed in the past two years. The company says that the scheme will create around 2.5 construction jobs for every affordable house built and up to four times that many in the wider supply chain.