First residents move in to Appleby Magna

A brand new flat at Leicestershire Rural Housing Association’s latest affordable development, has offered a new lease of life to a local resident.

Paul Harrison, who had to give up work as an industrial scaffolder due to a spinal injury, says his ground floor flat in the brand new Church View development in Appleby Magna is just what he needed.

The 47-year-old had been renting a first floor flat in nearby Measham but was struggling to climb the stairs to his front door and had become increasingly concerned about a rat problem in nearby properties.

He says: “I had spinal surgery four years ago which has enabled me to retain some mobility but I can only walk a few yards before I need to stop, and I’m in constant pain.

“I’d been living in Measham for three years but my flat was upstairs and I was finding it increasingly difficult to manage the stairs, even when I took a breather part way up.  I really wanted to move before my mobility got worse.”

When Paul was offered an LRHA property he could hardly believe it.

He says: “I really wanted to stay in Measham as two of my three brothers live there, but when I heard about the flat in Appleby Magna, I knew it’d be perfect for me.

“It’s a brand new, one-bedroom flat which I can access without any problems.  In fact, I can park right outside and only need to walk five or six steps to my front door.”

The Church View development comprises seven affordable homes which have been built as part of a much bigger private housing development.  The homes, which will be managed by LRHA, were built in response to a Housing Needs Survey which showed a particular need for affordable homes for people with a link to Appleby Magna.

The new properties are sited next to the affordable development which LRHA already manages in the village.

Paul adds: ““I know Appleby Magna well and have my brothers and several friends living close by so it’s ideal.”