Stroud District Council and contractor Speller Metcalfe have reached a major milestone. They installed the first roofs on the 23-home Glebelands affordable housing development in Cam this summer. Built on the site of a former independent living facility, this multi-million-pound project is scheduled for completion next summer. It aims to ease a severe local housing shortage.
The comprehensive housing scheme is designed to accommodate a diverse range of local residents. It will deliver eight one-bedroom flats, 10 two-bedroom houses, and five three-bedroom houses. These homes are designated for a mix of affordable rent and shared ownership.
Project Scope and Design Specifications
Four of the single-bedroom flats are tailored specifically for older residents. They incorporate accessible and flexible designs to accommodate changing physical needs over time. Work is actively progressing across the site, with a third roof currently being completed to rapidly expand local residential supply.
Caroline Dumas, strategic director of resources at Stroud District Council, emphasized the urgency behind the development:
“There is a significant shortage of affordable housing across the district, with thousands of people on our housing register, so every new home we deliver makes a difference. These 23 homes will provide high-quality, energy-efficient accommodation for local people and will help more residents access a secure and affordable home.”
Commitment to Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
The Glebelands project aligns with environmental targets. It incorporates high levels of insulation and sustainable features designed to lower long-term household running costs and reduce carbon emissions across the district.
Each property in the Cam scheme features:
- Air source heat pumps
- Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels
- Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems in selected units
Mark Eaton, divisional director at Speller Metcalfe, highlighted the contractor’s regional involvement:
“As a regional contractor with a long history of delivering high-quality homes across the Midlands and South West, we’re proud to be working alongside Stroud District Council to provide energy-efficient homes that will make a lasting difference for local people.”
Wider Affordable Housing Programme
Glebelands is part of a broader campaign by Stroud District Council to increase the supply of affordable properties on brownfield and former council-owned land. Related developments currently moving forward include:
- Queens Drive (Cashes Green): Construction is progressing on seven affordable homes that are nearing completion.
- Gloucester Street & Bradley Street (Wotton-under-Edge): Eight affordable rent homes have been successfully delivered.
- Cambridge Avenue (Dursley): Thirteen social rent properties have been completed on former council-owned land.
With roofing work accelerating through the autumn months, construction at the Glebelands development remains securely on schedule for final completion next summer.
