Highways chief waives £82,390 bond to speed up new social housing schemes at Derbyshire village

West Street, Whaley Thorns, Langwith, Derbyshire, Courtesy Of Google Street View

A council highways chief has agreed that Bolsover District Council can be spared from paying an £82,390 bond concerning three of its social housing developments which will help speed up plans for 30 new homes for a former Derbyshire colliery village.

Derbyshire County Councillor Charlotte Cupit, Cabinet member for Highways Assets and Transport, approved that a Guarantee Bond or cash deposit could be waived for the district council concerning agreed highway changes for the three developments.

The district council developments are for new social housing in the Whaley Thorns area of Langwith at The Woodlands, West Street and off Moorfield Lane.

A county council spokesman stated: “As the developer is a local authority, the county council considers the risks of default or financial insolvency are negligible and is therefore able to waive the requirement for a Guarantee Bond to ensure the development is undertaken in a timely [fashion] and social housing is provided for the benefit of the local community.”

Bolsover District Council has already been given planning permission for the housing developments which will all need highways improvements.

The Woodlands development involves the construction of 19 homes with a new junction onto The Woodlands which would attract a total bond value of £16,872.

Five homes are also planned for West Street with the widening of a small part of West Street and the construction of a new footway with an expected bond payment of £43,827.

The Moorfield Lane development involves six new homes on two sites off Moorfield Lane and includes new footways and a carriageway normally requiring a £21,646 bond.

Derbyshire County Council – which confirmed its decision to waive the bond on August 16 – has previously waived this type of bond when similar work has been undertaken by another Local Government organisation, and when it has been deemed that any risk of the work not being completed is minimal.

Bolsover District Council has also confirmed that it is willing to underwrite the works and complete them to an adoptable standard outlined by the county council.

The new social housing properties aim to provide affordable and secure homes for the community of Whaley Thorns, in Langwith.