West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin joined Pershore residents to help celebrate a brand new affordable housing development. Seven new homes, built by Speller Metcalfe for Rooftop Housing Association already have new occupants and residents joined in the celebrations last Friday (February 27). The £1.2million project involved demolishing 50 garages off Farleigh Road in Pershore and building the high-spec affordable homes in time for occupation last month. The development has been named after Pershore Plum Festival founder and local district councillor David Shaw, and his family attended the ceremony along with VIPs from the district and town councils, Rooftop Housing Association and the Homes and Communities Agency, who helped to fund the project. Harriett commented: “Rooftop Housing have a number of important local projects underway making good use of brownfield sites, providing affordable homes for local people. “The quality of these homes is impressive and Speller Metcalfe are to be congratulated for their work. Each home is energy efficient to a very high standard and each also has solar panels to help make them cheap to run. “It is also pleasing to see bungalows being built offering a range of housing options for people of all ages. “Naming the street after the celebrated town champion David Shaw was a nice touch and it was great to talk to his family and know that he is now a permanent part of Pershore.” Photo: (l-r) Chairman of Rooftop Housing Martin Holland, Janet Shaw, Pershore Town Mayor Tony Rowley, Harriett Baldwin MP Home and Communities Agency's Helen Wilkes