First Garden Cities Homes is working with award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group, on the construction of 57 much-needed affordable homes off Icknield Way, Letchworth Garden City.

The development will see Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation's former offices at Foundation House revitalised into an exciting new development of one and two-bedroom apartments, designed in keeping with Letchworth's garden city architectural heritage.

The 100% affordable development benefits from funding from Homes England and North Herts Council, with 31 apartments available for shared ownership and 26 allocated for social rent. The development will feature five apartment buildings, up to four storeys in height, complete with an attractive green space for residents, to relax and enjoy.

John Welch, Chief Executive at First Garden Cities Homes, comments: “First Garden Cities Homes and The Hill Group have a shared commitment to providing good-quality affordable housing for local communities. We are delighted to see work begin on site in what is an important new housing development for Letchworth Garden City and local residents.”

Rob Jack, Regional Director at The Hill Group, comments: "Starting on site at this development marks the beginning of a major new project to bring vital, high-quality, affordable housing to Letchworth Garden City. The Hill Group is proud to continue its ongoing partnership with First Garden Cities Homes on housing delivery, and I'm confident this latest project will result in a high quality and affordable development that not only addresses local housing needs but contributes to the ongoing design legacy of Letchworth Garden City."

Letchworth Garden City, located in North Hertfordshire, is famous as the world's first garden city, developed in the early 1900s on the premise of generous green open spaces and high architectural standards. This exciting new development fully adheres to the design principles of the town, incorporating traditional garden city design elements such as classic brickwork, along with all the benefits of a modern home.

Situated just a 15-minute walk from the station and town centre, the development offers convenient access to shops, cafés, and the beautiful art deco Broadway cinema as well as onward transport links. The partners anticipate completion of the project in early 2026.

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About First Garden Cities Homes

First Garden Cities Homes (FGCH) is a charitable housing association with offices in Letchworth Garden City and Welwyn Garden City.

We are a modern and dynamic housing association with an active development programme that enables us to provide a steady supply of much-needed, good-quality housing for local people who can't afford to buy or rent privately.

We have over 2,000 homes, including some for shared ownership, as well as sheltered, supported and extra care housing. Our homes extend beyond the world's first two garden cities to towns and villages across Hertfordshire and Central Bedfordshire.

Our homes are wide-ranging, from 'garden city' family homes to low-rise blocks of flats and brand-new, purpose-built homes.  By offering our residents a personal and responsive service, we aim to become the landlord of choice in Hertfordshire and Central Bedfordshire.

We are far more than a 'bricks and mortar' landlord. Working with our partners, we continue to develop and deliver a range of services that contribute to the health and wellbeing of our local communities. Our popular weekly Kingfisher Clubs support local people who have low to moderate dementia or are feeling lonely – a great example of what our partnership approach can achieve.

www.fgch.co.uk

About The Hill Group

Hill is an award-winning housebuilder and one of the leading developers in London, the home counties, and the South.

The company is renowned for its partnership ethos, specialising in the building of distinctive new places and communities where people want to live, work, and socialise. It is now in the process of opening new regional offices to facilitate growth in the Midlands and the South West.

In its 24th year, this family-owned and operated company has grown to establish itself as the UK's second-largest privately-owned housebuilder, with an impressive and diverse portfolio of projects ranging from landmark, mixed-use regenerations, and inner-city apartment developments to homes in rural communities. 

Employing over 800 staff, the company operates from six strategically located regional offices, with its head office based in Waltham Abbey, Essex. 

Hill anticipates completing over 2,800 homes by the close of its current financial year and has a controlled land bank with planning consent for over 8,500 homes. Around half of its portfolio is in joint ventures to deliver a range of mixed-tenure developments, reflecting Hill's commitment to partnerships with government, local authorities, housing associations, and private clients. 

Since the company was founded in 1999, Hill has won over 500 industry awards, including the esteemed titles of WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year in 2015, 2020, and most recently in 2023, when it also won the Best Large Housebuilder accolade in its first year entering the category. Rubicon, Hill's innovative and beautifully designed development at Knights Park in Eddington, Cambridge, has been recognised with four prestigious WhatHouse? Awards in 2023, including gold awards for Best Development and Best Exterior Design. Rubicon also won Best Design for Four Storeys or More at the 2023 Housebuilder Awards. The Beech, a stunning contemporary home at Marleigh, won the Best Family Home award at the Evening Standard New Homes Awards 2023 and silver in the Best House category at the WhatHouse? Awards in the same year.

In addition, Hill's dedication to delivering the highest quality homes and exceptional customer service has earned the housebuilder its 5-star status in the Home Builders Federation's annual Customer Satisfaction Survey for the past seven years.  

The Hill Group is donating 200 fully equipped modular homes to local authorities and homeless charities as part of a £15 million pledge through its Foundation 200 programme, launched in 2019 to mark Hill's 20th anniversary.

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For more information, contact The Oracle Group PR Agency on Tel: 020 8394 2821 or hill@oraclepr.co.uk