Liskeard housing scheme kick-starts Treveth’s 600 new home development pipeline for Cornwall

Work is under way on the first of more than 600 new homes to be built across Cornwall by Treveth as part of a major housebuilding programme aimed at people who live and work locally to the developments they will deliver.

The start of construction at Treveth’s 46-home Maudlin Farm site, in Liskeard, signals the beginning of a pipeline of five projects to be rolled out over the next two years, including sites at Bodmin, Newquay, Launceston and Tolgus near Redruth.

Cornish for ‘Homestead’, Treveth is a partnership set up by Cornwall Council to deliver new homes and commercial development to benefit people who live and work in Cornwall. Its mission includes improving the quality of new homes in Cornwall, especially in the volatile private rented sector, and making them available to local people.

Treveth’s first new-build development at Maudlin Farm will feature a mixture of 46 one, two and three bedroomed homes on land south of Lake Lane on the eastern side of Liskeard, within walking distance of the town centre and local schools.

Solar energy panels and renewable heating systems will be provided on all suitable properties in line with Treveth and Cornwall Council’s commitment to tackle climate change, moving away from gas as a source of energy and instead using greener alternatives to make new developments low carbon.

Construction is being carried out by Mi-space, part of the Midas Group, with the first homes expected to be available from spring 2022.

Treveth will prioritise local people first when renting its properties, with its developments aimed at households who have a local connection either through residency, employment or close family, and the majority of homes available will be private rented or affordable properties. The Maudlin Farm development will feature 35 homes for private rent and 11 affordable homes, including seven affordable rent and four shared ownership homes.

Tim Mulholland, Treveth managing director, said: “Treveth was created to be different and with a clear mission to improve people’s lives in Cornwall by building successful and sustainable communities where local people want to live.

“To be starting work on our first new-build development is a milestone moment for Treveth and given the extent of our development pipeline we are setting out to have a significant impact on the market and become Cornwall’s developer of choice for both our residents and investment partners.

“We are very much operating as a commercial developer but our ‘Profit with Purpose’ ethos, and the stewardship role we will retain as custodians of our developments, means we’re able to take a long-term view on our decisions, the locations and types of homes we’re building and the build quality and sustainability of our properties, all of which will set them apart.”

Sally Hawken, Cornwall councillor for Liskeard East, said: “With around 266 households on the Cornwall Homechoice register waiting for a home in Liskeard, the housing need in the area is real. It’s therefore good to see that work is beginning at Maudlin Farm, which will go some way to address that need with good quality new homes.”

Cornwall Council portfolio holder for homes Andrew Mitchell said: “Cornwall needs good quality new homes and we’re investing millions to develop new housing through our partnership with Treveth.  These developments will deliver market rent, social rent, shared ownership and a small number of homes for open market sale.  All affordable homes built by Treveth on behalf of the Council will be allocated or sold to households that have a strong connection to Cornwall so that local communities can thrive.”

Mike Borkowski, business development director for Midas in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, said: “Midas has a strong track record in delivering new homes across Cornwall and we are really pleased to be working in partnership with Treveth on this project and to be supporting them in getting under way with their impressive housebuilding programme across the county.

“We’ll be working closely with the local community throughout the build and focusing on Midas’s trademark commitment of ensuring we maximise opportunities for our local supply chain, employment and training across the life of the project.”

In addition to its new home building programme now getting under way, in 2019 Treveth transferred into its portfolio two completed Cornwall Council new build schemes at Tolvaddon and Bodmin comprising 113 homes, which are now fully rented, with a small number of units still available for sale in Bodmin. It is also in the process of acquiring a further scheme – Tregover, in Newquay – a development of 28 one and two bedroomed flats, all for private rent, built on the site of a former public house in Henver Road.

Further Treveth Developments due to start in the coming months include:

• Bodmin – The second phase of the transformation of the former St Lawrence’s Hospital site on the western side of Bodmin, with 100 new two, three and four bedroomed houses and one bed apartments.

• Newquay – Development of 150 new homes comprising one and two bedroomed flats and bungalows, two, three and four bedroomed terraced and semi-detached homes and town houses, and detached four bedroomed homes. The site is South of the A392 on the approach to Newquay and is bordered by Trevithick Manor Farm and the River Gannel.

• Launceston – A development of 140 new homes comprising one and two bedroomed apartments, one bedroomed bungalows and two, three and four bedroomed houses on land to the South of the Launceston Link Road with views onto open countryside.

• Tolgus, near Redruth – A development of 185 new homes comprising a mix of one, two, three and four bedroomed houses on land opposite Redruth School with views towards St Agnes Beacon.

The average Treveth Homes development will include up to 50% private rented homes, on secure three-year tenancies as standard, the local plan allocation of affordable homes and the remainder will be for open market sale. Three-year tenancies aim to deliberately counter what can be the rollercoaster six-month seasonality of Cornwall’s private rented sector by allowing people to put down roots in their communities.

The driver for this approach is to offer individuals and families stability and allows them to grow in the communities they live in. Treveth will prioritise local people first when renting its properties. To rent a Treveth home you will be expected to demonstrate a local connection through residency, employment or close family.

The homes themselves are a cut above market norms. They exceed current minimum space standards, across all tenures, and are designed to reduce the running costs for occupants through the use of low carbon technologies. Treveth has developed a pattern book and design guide to inform all its future housing developments, recognising the unique character of Cornwall and how new housing can contribute towards local distinctiveness.

Pictured (L-R) are:

Richard Cleghorn – Project Manager, Treveth.
John Rowe – Construction Quality Manager, Treveth.
Gary Gregory – Senior Site Manager, Mi-space
Phil Jones – Senior Site Manager, Mi-space
Gary Peat – Head of Construction, Treveth
Emma Rodgers – Development Manager, Treveth
Sally Hawken – Cornwall councillor for Liskeard East