Work continues on Hemel Hempstead 56-home development and foodbank site
Dacorum Borough Council has celebrated the progress being made on a housing development containing 56 homes in Hemel Hempstead.
These social rent homes are under construction at the Paradise Industrial Estate and a new headquarters for homelessness charity, DENS, is also being built at the site.
Dacorum Borough Council has confirmed that construction is taking place on a brownfield site and that the borough's foodbank and a community cafe will also be built within the new neighbourhood near to Hemel Hempstead town centre.
Currently the project is expected to be finished early in 2027, it is anticipated that the charity’s headquarters and other community properties could be complete by September 2026.
Dacorum Mayor, Councillor Catherine McArevey, other authority officials and Bugler Developments representatives recently checked how work was progressing at the site.
Homes being built in the area will be a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments. Homes England has provided £7 million in funding for the development.
Councillor Simy Dhyani said: “It’s fantastic to see how the development has come since work began earlier this year. I know how many local people are struggling to find a secure, affordable home, and that’s why this development matters so much. These 56 new social rented homes will give families and individuals in Hemel the stability they deserve, close to schools, shops and transport. This project is about more than housing. The new headquarters for DENS will bring their foodbank and services under one roof, and the community café will offer real work experience for local people. It’s going to be a place that not only supports those in need but also brings people together. As a councillor, but also as a member of this community, I feel proud that we’re creating something that will make such a difference to people’s lives here in Hemel. This is about giving people hope, opportunity and a better future.”
Air source heat pumps and Electric Vehicle Charging Points will be created as part of the overall scheme.
Wendy Lewington, CEO of DENS, said: “We’re delighted to celebrate this major milestone in the development of our new DENS Centre – a welcoming hub for those in our community facing homelessness, poverty and social exclusion."