Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

A timetable has been announced for the new houses.

They will be constructed on the piece of land at the junction of Ashton Road and Hilperton Drive (close to The Mead school).

This was a site provided by Wiltshire Council which will be leased for 125 years.

The site will comprise ten 2-bedroom houses, five 3-bedroom houses and three 2-bedroom bungalows. This site will provide up to two homes as Temporary Accommodation for homeless households helping to meet the Council’s statutory obligations.

Persimmon Homes started on site on Tuesday 8th May with the homes hopefully completed and tenants moving in between November 2012 and January 2013.

These houses are part of the ex West Wiltshire District Council PFI (Private Finance Initiative) scheme which has, to date, cost millions of pounds of council tax payers money but delivered just about nothing.

The West Wiltshire Housing PFI (WWHPFI) is a partnership between Wiltshire Council, Aster Communities (formerly Sarsen Housing Association) and Persimmon Homes Ltd. The scheme is unique in being the only 'one-bid' scheme allowed by the government. Many years ago the only other interested party withdrew from negotiations thus giving WWHPFI a clear-run with no worry about competitive tendering. One can only speculate whether these houses could have been provided at a better cost if there had been any competition for the funds...