The first residents on Shakespeare Road on The Poet’s in Swindon have been given the keys to their new homes. Neighbours that have lived next to each other for over 30 years in some cases are now gradually being allowed to move into their brand new homes on The Poets.

The new homes have been created after the old ones on the same site were demolished due to historic structural issues. This development is the first new build project that has been undertaken by Salix Homes in partnership with their chosen contractor, Galliford Try Partnerships. With the construction work coming to an end residents are being gradually allowed into the new houses on the street they’ve lived on for decades.

One of the residents of Shakespeare Road is Gail Howell, who has lived in the area for 50 years. Gail first moved on to Shakespeare Road at the age of six, with her parents. Her family of four children and five grandchildren also live close by. Gail and her family took her parents’ house over following the death of her father and says that the Road will always be her home. It is great that Salix has been working to ensure that there are properties standing on Shakespeare Road for decades to come.

Gail lives with her husband on The Poets and was the chair of the residents steering group. The residents have been involved in the development process of the houses from start to finish. The original tenants that were affected by the demolition of the old houses were temporarily rehoused nearby and were given the option to move back into the new properties.

The new development has improved the resident’s living conditions, with problems such as damp creeping into the old houses on Shakespeare Road. Now the residents plan to carry on as they always have, in their nice modern new homes.