Chiddingfold has welcomed the completion of its first new council homes in years, with two families set to move into the initial properties at Turners Mead. The 26-home development, delivered by Waverley Borough Council’s Liberal Democrat-led administration, aims to provide high-quality, energy-efficient, and genuinely affordable housing for local residents. The scheme forms part of a wider plan to redevelop five council-owned brownfield sites in the village, offering much-needed homes while preserving Chiddingfold’s distinctive rural character.

Cllr Dave Busby, the Lib Dem councillor for Chiddingfold, recently visited the completed homes and said: “It’s wonderful to see the first of these new homes ready for local families. We’ve been determined to provide housing that is high-quality, sustainable, and truly affordable – and these homes deliver that. Looking around today, I’m incredibly impressed and am sure the families moving in will be very happy here. It’s horrible when residents tell me that their children, or their own young family, can no longer afford to stay in the village. These homes are a step towards improving that situation. They are the homes our village needs, without affecting the rural setting that makes Chiddingfold special.”

Alongside the new housing, the redevelopment has brought investment into the wider community. Plans are underway to enhance the green space at the centre of Hartsgrove, following a recent on-site consultation event that invited residents to share ideas.

Currently, more than a dozen households in Chiddingfold are on the council’s housing register. Demand ranges from one-bedroom homes through to family-sized properties, with a particular need for smaller properties. The people most affected by lack of affordable housing are young families trying to get started, single working-age residents on modest incomes, and older villagers wanting to downsize but remain part of the community.

“The overall numbers on the housing register in Chiddingfold have stayed fairly steady over recent years,” said Cllr Busby. “The pressures have definitely grown though, over a longer period — house prices here have risen sharply, smaller properties are scarce, and the increasing cost of living has made things tougher.”

Sadly, many local people have had to move away because they could not find affordable housing in the village.

Cllr Busby added: “The 26 new affordable homes will make a real difference – we’ll be able to give more local people the chance to remain in the village they call home, as well as helping to address the wider issue of access to affordable homes across Waverley.”

Cllr Janet Crowe, Waverley Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Housing Delivery, said: “These new homes represent just what we want to achieve in Waverley – sustainable, high-quality housing that meets the real needs of our communities. By regenerating underused sites like this, we’re not only building places people can be proud to live in but also protecting our countryside and working towards our climate goals. I'm excited for the families moving in and look forward to seeing the rest of the development take shape over the coming year.”

The remaining 24 homes, spread across four sites in Chiddingfold, are due to be completed in stages over the next year.