Ramsey Town Commissioners has boosted its housing stock with the addition of six new two-bedroom houses in Shipyard Road acquired in partnership with the Department of Infrastructure from the developer Haven Homes Limited.

The formal handover to the Commission took place on Friday November 27 when members and officers were joined by Department of Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne MHK, department member Chris Thomas MHK, Ramsey MHK Leonard Singer and representatives from Haven Homes at number 17 in the terrace of six houses to be known as Traie Twoaie (North Shore).

Guests heard Ramsey Town Commissioners’ lead member for housing Tony Harmer say that with 142 families on the housing waiting list, 55 of which were needing two-bedroom houses, the properties would be ‘a welcome addition’ to the Commission’s housing stock.

Mr Harmer went on to say that the scheme, funded by Ramsey Town Commissioners with an ?895,000 borrowing agreement with the Department of Infrastructure to meet the purchase price of ?147,000 per unit plus associated fees, demonstrated the mature and ‘great working relationship’ the Commissioners enjoyed with the department.

The scheme marks a departure from the conventional model of social housing provision in that the properties were acquired from the private sector, prompting Mr Harmer to extend his thanks to Haven Homes and the design team for their attention to detail in realising ‘these very attractive homes’.

‘Tenants have already been identified,’ said Mr Harmer, ‘some from our waiting list and others transferring from within our existing housing stock, which will free up properties to offer others on the list, and we anticipate these six new homes to be occupied before Christmas.’

In his reply Mr Gawne said the success of the scheme demonstrated how much could be achieved through partnership working between central and local government and the private sector. It was, he said, ‘the best possible solution’ for providing social housing and he praised Ramsey Town Commissioners for ‘grasping the opportunity’ and Haven Homes ‘for delivering what people in Ramsey needed.’

Photo - Department of Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne MHK, Ramsey Town Commissioners’ lead member for housing Tony Harmer, Chris Thomas MHK and Haven Homes’ Ashton Lewis, David Lewis and Paula Lewis. Picture Andrew Barton.