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2 new housing developments were officially opened by relatives of Mick Fitch and James Brokenshire.
Fitch House is named after former Waltham Abbey Mayor, Mick Fitch, who sadly passed away in 2020. Fitch House is due to be finished in May 2024. It comprises of eight 1 and 2-bedroom flats.
Brokenshire Court in Buckhurst Hill is named after the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, who sadly passed away in 2021. This development consists of seven 1 and 2-bedroom flats and is due for completion in June 2024.
Opening event
On Thursday 7 and Friday 8 March, both sites were officially opened at a small celebration, which included Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) Councillors and staff.
Mick’s children, Denise and Andrew Fitch, attended as special guests to officially open Fitch House, on 7 March in Woollard Street, Waltham Abbey with EFDC Chairman, Councillor Darshan Sunger.
James Brokenshire’s widow, Cathy, cut the ribbon as guest of honour at Brokenshire Court along with Epping Forest MP the Rt Hon Dame Eleanor Laing and EFDC Councillor Holly Whitbread, on 8 March.
Brokenshire Court images
Fitch House images
Housebuilding programme
These homes will supplement the existing stock of around 6,500 properties and help house some of the 1,500 people in the district who are waiting on the housing register for a home.
All the flats have higher than average level of insulation which aims to help tenants with their energy bills. Both blocks have solar panels on the roof and are fitted with a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system in order to bring fresh filtered air into and take stale air out of the properties. All homes have been awarded Gold by the Secure by Design police security initiative, giving that extra peace of mind to tenants.
After feedback to the EFDC housing team, the ground floor flats in both developments have been fitted with wet room showers instead of baths, to assist those who are less able bodied.
Twin electric vehicle chargers are being installed on both schemes, and the infrastructure is being put in place to allow for more chargers to be installed to meet future needs.
Built with residents in mind
EFDC Chairman, Councillor Darshan Sunger said:
I was delighted to be a part of both opening events. It was a pleasure to meet members of both the Brokenshire and Fitch family.
It was wonderful to see the different types of new properties being built by the council. These homes are developed with the resident in mind. Each new home is made to be energy efficient, helping keep energy costs low, something that has become increasingly important to us all.
Committed to affordable housing
Councillor Holly Whitbread, Cabinet Member for Housing and Strategic Partnerships said:
These new developments are part of a wider project to build more affordable housing. It’s exciting to see their progress. Epping Forest District Council is one of the few councils still committed to building new council homes despite challenging economic times.
This project shows how dedicated the council is to delivering affordable housing for local people, and I am so proud to be a part of it.
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