Vectis Housing’s newest residential development, converted from a former chapel and primary school buildings in Ryde has been officially opened by Councillor Julia Baker-Smith and Councillor Phil Jordan this week.
This forward thinking project saved these historic buildings from demolition and converted an existing landmark building into quality affordable housing satisfying a key area of local need.
The scheme comprises of 8 units: 2x 2-bedroom maisonettes and 6x 1-bedroom flats, which are all already fully occupied with Vectis Housing residents. A 10-month construction period used local labour from Island company, Vectis Builders.
The scheme was subject to a Local Lettings Plan requiring incoming residents to have a local connection to Ryde. The 2-bedroom maisonettes were offered by way of transfer to existing Ryde families and the 1-bedroom flats were allocated through Island Homefinder, in accordance with the Local Lettings Plan.
Martyn Pearl, CEO at Vectis Housing Association says:
“Vectis Housing Association is proud to announce the opening of our latest scheme of affordable homes on the site of the previous Greenmount School in Ryde.
“We have been delighted to work closely with the developer, Daldorch Estates, Vectis Builders and the Isle of Wight Council to produce eight high quality homes for local households at below market rents. These flats are very much part of the Vectis commitment to provide high quality homes with strong communities in good neighbourhoods.
“As the main provider of social housing on the Isle of Wight, we will continue to work actively with the Council and local Parishes to produce community assets and hope to produce up to 100 new homes over the next five years.”
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The headmaster of Greenmount Primary School, which has now relocated to the site of the former Mayfield Middle School, attended the opening with 8 of his Year 6 pupils who all remember starting their academic lives at the Newport Street school.
Headmaster, Richard May has said:
“It was really good to be able to bring the children to see the new development. They began their school journey in the building when it had been a reception classroom – they were amazed at the transformation and delighted with the thought that there were now people living in their old school!”
