03/08/2026
It's fantastic to see the redevelopment of the former St William's Church recognised with two awards, celebrating the quality of the development and its innovative approach to delivering affordable homes.
No one wanted to see the church close, but once that difficult decision had been made, we were pleased to support plans that gave the building a new purpose rather than seeing it fall into disrepair. Instead, this much-loved local landmark has been preserved and brought back into use, providing high-quality homes while respecting its heritage.
What makes this development even more special is that many of the new residents played a direct role in creating it. Through the unique "Home Partner" scheme, local people contributed 500 hours towards building and landscaping the development, earning a £10,000 contribution towards their home while building a real sense of community from day one. The vast majority of residents already lived locally, with many from Ince itself, ensuring the development benefits local people.
The former Ince Labour councillors strongly supported the scheme from the outset, recognising the positive difference it could make to our community. It's therefore especially pleasing to see the development now receiving the recognition it deserves.
Congratulations to Housing People, Building Communities, Prima Group, everyone involved in delivering the scheme, and most importantly the new residents who helped make it such a success.
