Date published: 11 July 2025
Work has started on a new development of 55 homes adjacent to the rural village of Barlestone, in the parish of Osbaston, near Leicester.
Stonewater, a leading social housing provider with 40,000 homes across the UK, will deliver 45 affordable rent homes and 10 properties for Rent to Buy at Barton Road.
As rural developments are celebrated across the country as part of the National Housing Federation’s Rural Housing Week, a renewed focus is being bought to sites such as this one, providing much-needed affordable housing to keep rural communities thriving for current residents and future generations.
The new development will provide a welcome injection of affordable housing near the village of Barlestone, which boasts a range of community provisions including pubs, churches and shops for its 2,000 residents, with further amenities close by in neighbouring villages, as well as the nearby city of Leicester.
In addition to Stonewater’s focus on rural development, sustainability is a key consideration in all the organisation’s new homes.
The Barton Road site will benefit from solar panels to enhance energy efficiency and help reduce customers’ energy bills. And in a move to improve sustainability and reduce disruption to the local area, parts of the construction will be prefabricated off-site, also helping to accelerate the build process.
Stonewater is working in partnership with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Osbaston Parish Council, RMA Employers’ Agent and construction firm MyPad to complete the site, which will offer a mix of one-bedroom maisonettes, two-bedroom bungalows and two-, three- and four-bedroom houses with private gardens.
Partners gathered on site recently to plant a ceremonial spade into the ground to celebrate the start of construction, with the development due to be completed July 2026.
Arthur Gott, Senior Development Manager at Stonewater, said: “As we celebrate the importance of rural housing, it’s great to see work start on these 55 homes; providing sustainable, high-quality homes in a popular rural location.
“This is a great site in a lovely area, close to local amenities. Once complete, the development will provide opportunities to rent or save to buy a home affordably in an attractive and well-located village.
“By using modern methods of construction and incorporating energy-efficient features like solar panels, we’re also delivering homes that are more sustainable and economical to run for customers.”
Michael Broadhust, Commercial Manager at MyPad said: “We were pleased to support Stonewater in the development of its new homes at Barton Road near Barlestone, to help provide much needed quality rural housing for locals and their families. The sustainability measures and construction methods that we put in place will help to minimise the carbon footprint of the high-quality homes while reducing energy bills for customers.”
Stonewater owns and manages over 7,000 homes in rural areas across England, equating to approximately 20% of its total home count. Delivering affordable housing in rural areas is a key element of the organisation's development strategy.