Contractors sweep away the last of the gravel and cleaners make their final touches to the peaceful properties on a Monday morning. Greenwood Close, a £2.1million development 18 months in the making, is about to welcome tenants under the warm July sun.
The 6 one bedroom apartments and 9 two bedroom houses for affordable rent have been built by J G Hale Construction Ltd on behalf of Newydd Housing Association, in partnership with Vale of Glamorgan Council and funded by the Welsh Government as well as private finance.
Slowly, the street comes to life as a steady stream of tenants arrive at the small hamlet of Twyn-yr-Odyn, near Wenvoe. These brand new homes offer stunning views of the Garth mountain to the north and familiar Cardiff landmarks to the east.
Joseph and Sophie, a young couple with their baby boy, Roman, are beaming as they’re shown around their new home.
“I’m ecstatic!” Sophie laughs, bouncing her son in her arms as her partner Joseph adds, “We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. It’s a lovely home, lovely location, and I can’t wait to get everything moved in.”
A few doors away from Sophie and Joseph, Roman’s great-grandparents Mr and Mrs Manfield are waiting their turn to get a tour of their new home.
Mr Manfield expresses his delight, “The builders have done a lovely job of these homes. The help and attention we’ve had from Newydd has been outstanding. Deb, our Housing Officer, has become a friend, helping us and the entire family out every step of the way, and has made us feel very welcome.”
Paige will live a few doors away, she is six months pregnant and looks relieved to be moving in, “It’s been a rough few months. I’ve been homeless for over half a year and I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I can’t wait to settle my three-year-old daughter into her new home, get her into school, and then in a few months I’ll be welcoming a new member of the family into the world”.
Her next-door neighbours, Abbie, Blayne, and baby Hunter have already decided that they will spend their first night in their new home that evening, “We’ve been living with parents, so it’ll be nice to get some independence. I’m really looking forward to decorating Hunter’s room. We’ve got it all planned out, it will look like a safari.”
Cheryl and her daughter have been bouncing around the estate since they arrived. Cheryl’s eyes are still tearful as she says, “Sorry, I haven’t stopped crying since I’ve got here. Nothing’s wrong, I’m just overwhelmed! This place is so special, the views are incredible. I plan on moving in and staying here tonight, my dad has brought his van and there’s another van on its way with all my things too.”
As the day wore on, convoys of vehicles arrive with more tenants and their belongings, the previously quiet road now a hive of activity brimming with excited energy. It’s a scheme that Housing Officer, Debra Roberts, is very proud of, “There’s a great mix of people here and it looks like they’re all getting on already. It already feels like a neighbourhood, I wish them all every happiness for the future.”
