THE John Bull pub in Trowbridge has now been demolished, ready for work to start on building nine new affordable homes. 

Local housing association Selwood Housing purchased the site in March 2021 after the Studley Green pub had remained vacant for some years.

The plans include six homes for affordable social rent and three for shared ownership.

The development received £648,000 part-funding by Homes England and will help provide much needed affordable homes within the Trowbridge Community area, which has more than 500 households on the Wiltshire Council Housing Register. 

Paul Walsh, Selwood Housing group development director, said: “I’m particularly excited by the development at John Bull.

“It’s a site I’ve known for years and had been a special place for many people, but now we can invest in building more local, affordable homes on this derelict site and improve the area. The first homes should be ready in early 2023.

“We’re hoping to involve Studley Green primary school in the naming of the new scheme. We’ve also worked with local historians to capture the pub's history and to save it.”

For Selwood Housing it will be its first EPC A-rated development, the highest energy efficiency rating, helping to meet 2030 and 2050 carbon reduction targets.