A render of how the new homes in Newnham Avenue, Woodbridge, will look

New family homes to replace disused garages in Woodbridge

A row of disused garages in Woodbridge has been knocked down to make way for new family homes.

The 10 garages off Newnham Avenue, south-west of the town centre, came down in June. Housing provider Flagship now plans to build four two-storey houses on the brownfield site.

The two-bedroom homes will be let at affordable rent to families on the local housing register and managed by Flagship, which is part of Bromford Flagship LiveWest (BFL). Each will have a private rear garden, dedicated parking and solar panels.

Callum James, placemaking and regeneration manager at Flagship, said: "Garage sites like this are usually too small for modern cars and often sit unused on the edge of communities. If we can turn those spaces into much-needed homes, we create something of real benefit for the people who live here."

A row of underused garages in Woodbridge, Suffolk has been demolished

Conversations with residents and Woodbridge Town Council about the future of the site began in 2020 and ran for the best part of four years. A concern over the lack of affordable housing in the area came up more than any other issue. Parking was also raised repeatedly, and this feedback fed into the plans for this project.

Mr James said: "Newnham Avenue is the way into the neighbourhood, so as you come round the corner you'll be met with new homes on both sides rather than a row of empty garages.

"It's a part of Woodbridge that locals are already proud of, and these homes should add to that."

The scheme has planning permission from East Suffolk Council and has been designed with the wider neighbourhood in mind. Bat and bird boxes will be built into the brickwork of each home, and fences will have small gaps to form a "hedgehog highway" so the animals can roam between gardens.

New trees and hedgerows, grown from local stock where possible, will be planted around the homes and left uncut during the bird nesting season. A wildflower lawn will also be sown and managed without fertilisers or pesticides, adding colour and helping local wildlife.

Newnham Avenue is one of several small brownfield sites Flagship hopes to put to better use.

Outline plans have recently been submitted for two other underused garage sites in Suffolk, at Neve Gardens in West Row and Elmsley Way in Yoxford. Similar schemes are also planned in Saxon Road, Saxmundham and Cranworth Close, Grundisburgh.