WORK on a once-controversial housing development in Christchurch has been completed just in time for families to move in for Christmas.

Twelve Christchurch households will be spending the festive season in their new homes after the first stage of the Scotts Green development in Somerford was completed.

The affordable rent homes, on a new road called Prior’s Mews, are part of 27 new places rebuilt around Scott’s Green.

The other 15 new homes, on a road named Jade Close, will be occupied early next year.

Residents originally opposed the plans for the development, dubbing them a ‘Legoland ghetto’ when they were proposed in 2010.

They battled against housing association Sovereign for years until the original scheme was scrapped and new plans, put together with the community, were approved.

Sarah Cracknell, who moved into a three-bedroom house with her partner Tim and their four children, said: “I’m loving it, absolutely loving it. It’s so spacious and light. Everyone said to me ‘you’ve really landed on your feet’, but we waited a long time. My youngest, Brady, is three-and-a-half and we went on the housing register as soon as he was born,” said Sarah, 33, who volunteers at the local school.

She is also on the panel of the Somerford Children’s Centre: “I wanted to pay it back because they’ve given me so much,” she added.

“We’re delighted to see people starting to occupy these homes,” said Luke Bingham, Sovereign’s Regional Director for Dorset.

“There’s a real housing need for new affordable homes in Christchurch and we’ve worked closely with the Borough Council and residents in Somerford to deliver homes that local people want and need.”

As part of a raft of redevelopment in the Somerford area, Sovereign will begin demolition of the old community centre on Southey and Amethyst Roads in the new year.

Affordable homes will be built on the site, with a new community centre, the Somerford Alliance Resource Centre, opened in June.

The housing association is also proposing to redevelop the former Strete Mount sheltered housing scheme, where it plans to build 44 affordable homes.