Aster Group partners with AJC Group to deliver 48 affordable homes in Sturminster Newton

Local housing association Aster Group and affordable housing developer AJC Group have announced a new partnership to deliver a 100% affordable housing scheme at Glue Hill, Sturminster Newton. The development will provide 48 energy-efficient homes for affordable rent and shared ownership, helping to meet the growing demand for genuinely affordable homes across Dorset.

Poole-based AJC Group secured the site, which already had outline planning permission, earlier this year, and subsequently obtained detailed consent for a mixed open-market and affordable housing scheme. However, in line with its ‘500 in 5’ pledge - to deliver 500 affordable homes across the Wessex and South region within five years - AJC Group has now committed to deliver all 48 homes as affordable housing.

Located just south of the A357, the 2.59-hectare site has been carefully designed to reflect the character of Sturminster Newton while helping to tackle Dorset’s acute housing shortage. With more than 6,000 households currently on the county’s housing register, the development will offer a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom family homes with private gardens, green spaces, and a Local Area of Play (LAP). Ecological enhancements will also be introduced to promote biodiversity and create a sustainable new neighbourhood.

Each home will be built to high environmental standards, featuring energy-efficient insulation, electric vehicle charging points, and sustainable water use measures – helping residents reduce their energy and water consumption, whilst supporting Dorset’s climate goals.

Amanda Williams, Chief Investment Officer at Aster Group, added: “Partnering with AJC Group on this exciting project allows us to deliver much-needed affordable homes in a thriving Dorset community. We’re building at pace across the county, and this development is part of our wider commitment to tackling the housing crisis in the region. We’re proud to be creating high-quality, sustainable homes that give more local families the opportunity to find security and stability in a place they can call home.”

This is the fifth collaboration between AJC Group and Aster Group, following ongoing partnerships to deliver 27 houses at Okeford Fitzpaine, 25 homes at Orchard Gate in Dibden Purlieu, 56 homes in the centre of Dorchester and 40 family houses and apartments at the former Buzz Bingo site in central Bournemouth.

David Cracklen, Director of AJC Group, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Aster Group once again to deliver this important affordable housing scheme for Sturminster Newton. Every one of these 48 homes will go to local families and individuals who are currently priced out of the private market.

“This partnership represents another significant milestone in our ‘500 in 5’ mission, and we look forward to delivering these homes for Aster with the same level of quality and sustainability that’s defined every project we’ve completed to date.”

Just over a kilometre from Sturminster Newton town centre, the Glue Hill site offers excellent access to schools, shops, healthcare facilities, and public transport links.

AJC is due to begin construction later this month, supporting more than 160 jobs during the build phase and delivering long-term social and economic value to the local area. The final completion is anticipated in early 2028.