A new social housing development in Timperley, the first new-build socially rented housing in Trafford in over 10 years, has been opened.
Bowker Court – named after the late local Councillor Ray Bowker who was heavily involved in the project – is made up of 20 one-bed and 10 two-bed apartments in a three-storey building on Carrfield Avenue.
A partnership between Trafford Council and Trafford Housing Trust, it’s the first to be built from the Trafford Affordable Housing Fund, which was set up to support the creation of social housing.
It was officially opened this week by Council Leader Cllr Andrew Western, Cllr Bowker’s wife Hazel, and Trafford Housing Trust’s Chief Executive Larry Gold.
Trafford Council Leader, Cllr Andrew Western, said: “I am extremely proud to have helped officially open these superb new social housing units – the first of many we plan to open this year as part of our commitment to help solve the social housing crisis.
“This scheme is in a fantastic location and will go some way to meeting the huge demand for social housing in the borough.
“Trafford, like many others, is desperately short of new homes that people can afford to live in and providing them will always be a priority for the Council. I would like to say a huge thank you to officers and members from the council and colleagues from Trafford Housing Trust for all their hard work.”
Lifelong Timperley resident and former Mayor Cllr Bowker, who died in January 2020, was heavily involved in the project and was awarded the MBE in 2002 for a lifetime of service to the community.
His wife, Hazel, said: “The day was very emotional, and I am so proud that this new social housing has been named after Ray.
“My husband was extremely passionate about social housing and was involved in this scheme from the very start, working closely with Council officers and Trafford Housing Trust. Thank you very much to everyone involved – Ray would have been very honoured today.”
The 30 units at Bowker Court were built by contractor Mears New Homes on behalf of Trafford Housing Trust and Trafford Council. The scheme includes 40 car parking spaces, 30 cycle parking spaces and is entirely electric powered and triple glazed, making it low energy and sustainable.
