By Victoria Brenan

Last updated at 14:50, Friday, 27 April 2012

A housing association development was today launched in Carlisle.

Thirty homes, a combination of rented and shared ownership, have been built at Stainton Gardens, in Etterby, over the past 18 months.

The Riverside development attracted opposition from those living nearby when it went before planners in 2010, with 28 objections and a petition signed by 50 people.

But Riverside won permission for the scheme after council planners heard of the huge demand for social housing in north Carlisle.

Anne Quilter, partnership and regeneration manager for Riverside Carlisle, said they had people on their waiting list for a three-bedroomed house in Belah for 10 years.

The housing association received 114 applications for each three-bedroomed house in Stanwix and Belah, she revealed.

The complex includes two-, three- and four-bedroomed homes, and two-bedroomed bungalows.

Twenty houses will be rented and the remainder sold under a shared ownership scheme.

Malcolm Irving, development and leasehold manager for Riverside, said: “We’ll be able to ensure the development provides much-needed affordable and sustainable homes.”

Fred Story, chief executive of Story, which built the homes, described the site as “a great location”.

This morning’s launch was attended by Carlisle MP John Stevenson and Riverside chief executive Carol Matthews.

First published at 14:07, Friday, 27 April 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk