A new development of 17 homes in West Alvington was celebrated as a part of Rural Housing Week last Friday.

The week aims to “highlight rural housing issues” and “showcase housing associations’ innovative solutions for tackling them”.

Local councillors and residents joined teams from housing association DCH at Home Field, West Alvington Hill on Friday, June 7 to celebrate the development.

Chair of West Alvington Parish Council and district councillor Simon Wright said: “In 2009, the parish council identified a possible housing need in West Alvington. This lead to a housing need survey and a confirmed need being identified.

“With South Hams District Council’s ‘village initiative scheme’ it became possible to identify and bring forward potential delivery sites.

“This was an enormous amount of work and we now see a site providing 50 per cent affordable housing of mixed tenure providing for the identified the parish housing need. The parish council should be proud of their accomplishment. Today we have met many new residents and shared their enthusiasm in joining the parish."

People began moving into the new homes earlier this year, and the development has supported many local families otherwise priced out of the area. Eight of the homes are affordable homes for local people, four are for rent, four are shared ownership, and nine are for sale on the open market.

Tony Franklin DCH business development commercial director at DCH, said: “The homes at West Alvington provide much needed rural housing for local people. The sensitive design, quality build and stunning views make this an exceptional housing scheme. A huge amount of hard work and consultation with the local community has gone into the scheme and we have watched the new residents settle into the homes really well, now is time to celebrate them officially.”

Next year DCH will deliver more than 700 new homes, 290 of which are affordable rural homes – 197 in Devon and 93 in Cornwall.

Nathan Cronk head of development at DCH said: “Home Field is a great example of where rural housing has made a difference to local people, these homes have supported eight families to stay in an area where they have lived and will be contributing to wider services such as local schools and shops.”

Housing associations up and down the country are celebrating Rural Housing Week between Monday, July 3 and Friday, July 7 to highlight “how new housing can breathe life into rural communities”.

It also promotes how rural housebuilding can be “key to the survival of vital community assets and services, such as schools, post offices and pubs”.

David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: “Far too few homes are being built for local people across rural England and communities are disappearing as a result. Housing associations like DCH are a key part of the solution to the rural housing crisis. They are a great example of how, with the right support, housing associations can build the homes local people and their rural communities so desperately need. I’m delighted that Rural Housing Week is shining a spotlight on the innovation of housing associations like DCH.”