Housing estate half finished after contractor goes bust

A large housing development has been put on hold because a major contractor has gone bust.

The social housing provider Stonewater had asked Ilke Homes of North Yorkshire to deliver 120 pre-fab properties at the former Holmer Trading Estate off College Road in Hereford.

But in June, the modular homes supplier went into administration with debts at nearly £320m.

Stonewater said it was looking for a new contractor.

It had planned to make 68 of the new homes affordable rentals, also delivering six one-bedroom flats and 46 shared-ownership houses.

The company said they were "much needed homes" and added it hoped to be "back on site soon".

The units appear to be largely in place around the nine-acre estate, though few if any look complete and habitable.

Robert Thomas, lead executive at Hereford social charity Vennture, said the news was concerning, as "there is a desperate shortage" of affordable housing in Hereford.

A total of 854 households on housing benefit in the county listed themselves as homeless between May 2022 and June this year, Herefordshire Council said.

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