The handover of a new 100% affordable housing development at Old Sarum in Salisbury has been completed, bringing 46 much-needed homes into local use following a partnership between Dandara Southern and housing provider Abri. The final homes were handed over, marking an important step in addressing persistent affordability pressures across the Salisbury area.
Delivered entirely as affordable housing, the scheme includes 11 homes for affordable rent and 35 shared ownership homes, with a strong emphasis on two and three-bedroom family housing. Abri has used its own funding alongside grant funding from its Strategic Partnership with Homes England, to ensure all the homes are affordable. The development responds directly to demand identified by Wiltshire Council, where limited social housing turnover, rising private rents and house prices continue to place strain on households whose incomes fall short of open-market options.
Old Sarum was selected due to its sustainable location on the northern edge of Salisbury, offering good transport links and easy access to local services. The site also presented a clear opportunity to maximise affordable delivery, helping to fill a recognised supply gap in north Salisbury while supporting the Council’s wider strategy to broaden tenure choice for local residents.
Sam Stone, Director of Land and Planning at Abri said, “The completion of Old Sarum shows what can be achieved when there is a shared understanding of local housing pressures and a willingness to work collaboratively to address them. Demand for both affordable rent and shared ownership remains high across Salisbury, particularly for family homes, and this scheme will make a real difference. It also reflects Abri’s ambition to continue investing in affordable housing, a goal we plan to make further strides towards in our new corporate strategy for 2026-31. We’re pleased to have delivered these homes in partnership with Dandara.”
Designed to be tenure-blind, the development sits comfortably within the existing Old Sarum community, with a well-planned street layout, open space and green buffers. Sustainability has been embedded throughout, with air source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels on selected homes, EV charging points and high-performance building fabric all helping to reduce energy use and running costs for residents over the long term. Landscaping and biodiversity enhancements have also been incorporated to improve ecological value across the site.
Russell Turner, Director of Partnerships at Dandara, said, “Getting to handover at Old Sarum is such an important moment. This was a site where we could stop and ask what would make the biggest difference locally, and the answer was clear – more genuinely affordable homes, delivered well. Working with Abri gave us the space to focus on that properly, from the mix of homes through to how the place feels day to day. It’s a great example of what partnership can do when everyone is pulling in the same direction and keeping local need front of mind.”
The scheme has also brought wider benefits to the local area, including investment through the construction period and support for local jobs and suppliers where possible. Salisbury Football Club, which adjoins the site, was sponsored by Dandara during the build as part of an arrangement linked to the use of the club’s car park, reinforcing the project’s connection with the local community.