Leading housing association Sovereign Network Group (SNG) has secured planning permission to redevelop its Windmill Court site in Mortimer Common, near Reading, into 24 high-quality affordable homes.

The scheme will transform the former over-55's accommodation, which had become outdated, into a modern development of houses and maisonettes, all with private outdoor space and parking. The homes will be delivered in a quiet, attractive location on the edge of the village, designed to meet local housing needs while enhancing the area.

The 24 homes will be a mix of 11 Shared Ownership and 13 for social rent, ensuring a range of affordable options for local people. All properties will be built to SNG's Homes and Place Standard, meaning they will meet high expectations on comfort, space, and energy efficiency. Features will include air source heat pumps and solar panels, ensuring residents benefit from lower running costs and more sustainable homes.

Jenny Grote, Assistant Director New Business at SNG commented: “We are delighted that planning has been achieved at Windmill Court after a long journey through the system. This project will replace older buildings with a well-designed new community of affordable homes. By working to our Homes and Place Standard, we are ensuring these homes will be comfortable, spacious, and energy-efficient. The mix of houses and maisonettes will suit a range of local households and the inclusion of outdoor space and parking makes them especially attractive for village living. Most importantly, these homes will enhance Mortimer Common and create affordable opportunities for people who want to live in the village.”

SNG engaged at length with local stakeholders to ensure the site serves the needs of the local community. The planning process took an extended period of time to resolve reflecting the complexity of the site's existing use and the negotiations needed with the council to release historic covenants.

Approval now means the scheme can progress and deliver new homes for the local community that are fit for modern day living. Four households who previously lived at Windmill Court have already expressed interest in returning once the new homes are complete. SNG expect to start on site by the end of 2025, with final completions anticipated by late 2027.

Located just seven miles from Reading, Mortimer Common is a thriving West Berkshire village with a strong community identity, local amenities and excellent transport connections including a nearby railway station on the Reading to Basingstoke line. This attractive setting makes the new homes at Windmill Court particularly well placed to meet demand for affordable housing in the area.

This regeneration is part of SNG's wider ambition to deliver 2,500 homes a year across London and the South of England, creating sustainable places where people want to live.

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For further press information, please contact the Sovereign Network Group team at Oracle PR: sng@oraclepr.co.uk / 0208 394 2821

About SNG

SNG (Sovereign Network Group) is one of the largest housing associations, providing over 82,000 homes in areas facing some of the most acute housing needs across London and the South of England, with an ambition to build an additional 2,500 homes a year by 2026. It was formed on 1 October 2023 through the bringing together of Sovereign Housing Association and Network Homes.

SNG is a leading builder of affordable homes, including for social rent, and it has a clear pathway to maximise its social and environmental sustainability through its ambitious Homes and Place Standard alongside its planned £100m Community Foundation.

SNG is a member of the G15 group of London's largest housing associations. The G15 is the collective voice of some of the leading organisations in the housing sector. Its members house one in ten Londoners and are the largest providers of affordable homes in the capital, building a quarter of all London's new homes, and owning or managing more than 600,000 homes.