Friday 24th May 1991:
The new housing estate, which has been named Arn View, at the western end of Portway Lane, Warminster, is now nearing completion and some of the properties are already being lived in.
Twenty-seven of the houses have been bought by the Avondown Housing Association. Six of the Avondown properties are now occupied and the rest will come available at the rate of four a month.
Each householder takes out a mortgage to purchase 50 per cent of his or her house, while paying rent to Avondown who own the other half half of the house.
West Wilts District Council select the would-be occupiers from their existing tenants or those on the housing waiting list. Potential owners are chosen according to their housing need and the fact they have a joint income of more than £10,000 a year.
Avondown say: “Shared ownership is designed to help people who can’t afford to buy a house outright at current prices. They can buy further shares in their house or the whole house, if and when they can afford to do so. Shared ownership can mean buying 25%, 50% or 75% of the house.”
The first two of the Avondown homes at Arn View have been taken by Sarah Tracey and Robert Aven with their daughter Amy; and Jean and Vince Dunn.