KENT HOUSEBUILDER HOSTS EVENT TO CELEBRATE RAF HISTORY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING OFFERING

Barratt Homes has recently held an event to fully launch its Discount Market Sale (DMS) apartments and unveil its new spitfire sculpture at Ramsgate development, Spitfire Green. To commemorate the occasion, key stakeholders including representatives from Homes England, Councillors from Thanet District Council joined senior members of the team from Barratt Kent to discuss the progress of the development and its recent positive effect on the local area.

Spitfire Green takes its name from the town’s rich RAF history. The former RAF Manston is a stone’s throw from the development, with the nearby museum filled with local history. The new spitfire sculpture, standing at 2 metres high with a 6ft wingspan, sees two wood carved spitfires fixed to a steel stand at the centre of the development. On the day, dignitaries from Homes England and Thanet District Council were able to celebrate the rich RAF history in the area and ‘officially unveil’ the sculpture and learn more about how it was made.

Matthew Crabb of Matthew Crabb Sculpture Studio comments: “Creating the sculpture for Spitfire Green was a great project for me and got my creative flair flowing. I have previously commissioned similar designs for the British Legion, so carving spitfires is something I really enjoy doing. The sculpture has been made with the highest quality materials, including raw cedar wood, finished with a treatment which will see the sculpture last for over 70 years, so it is now engrossed in Ramsgate’s history. The rawness of the sculpture conveys authenticity, which I believe represents the development very well. Thank you to Barratt Kent for inviting me down on the day to celebrate the installation of the sculpture.”

Barratt Kent has committed to delivering much-needed affordable housing in the district of Thanet, having launched a selection of Discount Market Sale apartments in July. The scheme is available at a discounted value of 20% for those who live or work in the district of Thanet, was previously a resident in Thanet and has close family member who resides in the district, or those who need to live in Thanet to support a family member. The stakeholders on the day were able to find out more about Barratt Kent’s affordable housing offering not just in Ramsgate but also in the wider area of Kent, and how this will positively impact first time buyers in the area.

Stephen Baldry, Senior Specialist Disposals South for Homes England comments: “It was wonderful to be invited down to the Spitfire Green development by Barratt Kent. We are aware of a number of developments in the Kent area and Spitfire Green demonstrates the history of the county and is an example of high-quality affordable homes being delivered in Thanet. The spitfire sculpture was great for stakeholders from all different backgrounds to come together to celebrate the unveiling. Homes England look forward to seeing the delivery of homes and the new community that is set to prevail at Spitfire Green over the next few years.”

All homes at Spitfire Green, including the newly launched apartments, have been constructed with energy efficiency in mind, with measures in place such as energy efficient boilers and high levels of insulation, that ensure a new Barratt home is up to 57% cheaper to run than the same sized older home with modern day improvements.[1]

Natalie Perry, Sales and Marketing Director for Barratt Kent, comments: “It has been a hugely exciting time here at Spitfire Green over the last few months. Although we launched last year, the delivery of our Discount Market Sale (DMS) apartments and now our standout sculpture has created an extra buzz both onsite and in the local area. As a respectable housebuilder, we are committed to investing in local communities so that residents can afford to stay in the place they grew up for generations to come. Very few housebuilders in Kent are offering Discount Market Sale homes, so this, along with celebrating a new sculpture, has been a very successful summer. I would like to say one last thank you to the stakeholders who came down on the day, and of course Matthew Crabb for designing the wonderful sculpture.”

Spitfire Green has 4.5 acres dedicated to open space, comprising of green areas, play parks and biodiversity sections. A network of walkways and cycle paths ensure residents have easy access throughout the development, into Ramsgate and beyond. Other wildlife friendly measures include bee-friendly planting, bat boxes, hedgehog highways, and additional planting of ornamental trees and new hedgerows.

Ramsgate benefits from a number of good transport links, with Thanet Parkway Station set to be complete from the end of July with high-speed with services to Ashford and London within a 7-minute drive from the development. Residents will be within walking distance of a number of Outstanding and Good schools, including Little Scarecrows Nursery, Newington Community Primary School and Laleham Gap School.