Windmill Court

We will be using the land to build much-needed quality homes for social rent, shared ownership and private sale. 

The properties for rent will provide housing for people at a much more affordable rent than the local housing market rent. Local people in need of affordable housing can apply to join Homechoice West Berkshire – the Housing Register in West Berkshire. The Council will assess and then band the application. They’ll then advise what band the application is in and the priority date. This information will also be displayed on your account. 

Available properties are advertised each week on Homechoice West Berkshire, and applicants on the register can bid on them through the Choice Based Lettings scheme. Once the bidding has closed, a shortlist will be produced with the successful applicant being in the highest band and priority date. People with local connections will be given priority for these homes.

Shared ownership is a housing scheme designed to help homebuyers who are unable to afford the cost of buying a property outright on the open market. 

Also referred to as part buy/part rent, shared ownership allows buyers to purchase a share of a new-build home – usually between 25% and 75%. Purchasers will pay a mortgage on the share that they own, and rent on the remainder to Sovereign – along with any service charge and ground rent. 

We submitted a planning application in 2024 with a view to starting work on site in the spring of 2025. The new homes would be ready for occupation in the spring of 2026. These timescales are all subject to planning approval being obtained.

New homes can put pressure on local parking, which is why we intend to provide 52 parking spaces for the proposed development. 

Each new home will have two dedicated parking spaces, which is in line with West Berkshire Council’s planning policy. This will help to make sure that there’s adequate parking for the new homes and minimise the impact on neighbouring residents.

We understand that having construction activity nearby can be inconvenient, but we’ll work to minimise any disruption to the surrounding area. We’re committed to working closely with the local community to understand any concerns you may have. 

Sovereign has considerable experience of working within communities and is part of the Considerate Contractors Scheme – a national initiative which means that the site will be monitored against a code of considerate practice. Our appointed contractor will put in place detailed plans to manage safety in and around the site. These plans will consider the impact of construction traffic, working hours on site, parking for construction workers and site security.  

It’s important to us that the contractors we employ maintain a safe, secure, and tidy environment at all times. Any issues or concerns can be raised directly with site management team or via Sovereign.