A HOUSING group is looking to fulfil its promise of offering affordable to the area of Hartley Wintney.

Sentinel Housing is working to change the perception that it is increasingly difficult to own your own home.

Over the last three years they have built 132 affordable homes with Barratt Homes at St Mary’s Park, with 81 houses available for social rent and 51 for people to buy through shared ownership.

Building new homes to suit a range of customers is key to Sentinel’s strategy says Mike Shepherd, development and regeneration director at Sentinel.

“We know not everyone can afford to buy a home of their own so building homes for affordable rent is a crucial part of our strategy. So too is building shared ownership homes for people who can afford that bit more but are unable to buy their own home on the open market.”

Figures released this month from Legal & General predict the so called ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ will lend their children £5 billion this year towards deposits.

Mr Shepherd added: “The average contribution they believe will be around £17,500, and this just isn’t possible for everyone.

“Through shared ownership we are providing an alternative which means people can buy a home without having to or rely on their parents or spend 10 years saving for a deposit.”

This was the case for Charlotte Boobyer and Graham Russell who took the chance to move back to the village they grew up in. “We didn’t want to waste anymore money renting privately but we wouldn’t have been able to afford to buy a home here without shared ownership.

“It’s amazing being back in Hartley Wintney, we’re just around the corner from friends and family and we can walk our son to school.

“If anyone was thinking about shared ownership go for it, don’t be scared, it’s much easier than you might think.”

The North Hampshire housing association, which is the only locally run association in the area plan to continue to build on their success of St Mary’s Park.

They have signed a contract with Bewley Homes to build another 38 affordable homes at Rifle Range Farm in Hartley Wintney. The site has planning permission for 95 homes in total with Sentinel’s 38 affordable homes being split between affordable rent and shared ownership houses and apartments.

The news of Sentinel’s affordable housing comes after last week’s questioning of Bewley Homes’ Hartley Row Park house prices.