An affordable housing estate hailed as a ‘generation first’ for South Hams due to its energy efficient credentials remains empty six months after it was officially opened, it has emerged.

The eight-home development in St Ann’s Chapel, Bigbury, was completed last November amid much fanfare by South Hams District Council (SHDC).

The state-of-the-art Holywell Meadow estate includes two and three-bedroom homes and bungalows with triple-glazing, underfloor heating and ventilation systems to help save money on energy bills.

Eager tenants like Kathy Hutchings and daughter Lily, who work locally but were forced to commute from Cornwall after being priced out of the local market, described their joy at the prospect of moving in last year, saying it would be “life changing”.

But although tenants were expected to move in by Christmas, it has now emerged that the site remains closed due to issues with a local contractor.

Councillor Denise O’Callaghan, executive member for housing at SHDC, said she was “very disappointed” about “issues” it was having with a contractor.

However, in a more recent statement, she said: “The Council has now agreed a way forward with the contractor for them to rectify the problems with the road construction, which has been holding up the completion of the project.”

She added: “We sympathise with our future tenants over the delay that this issue has caused and look forward to seeing them living in these lovely houses soon.”

SHDC declared a housing crisis in 2021, and there are currently about 800 people on the South Hams waiting list for homes. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the average price for a semi-detached property in the South Hams is about £415,000, while renting an average two-bedroom house is about £775.

By contrast, tenants can expect to pay £640 a month for one of the Holywell Meadow homes, each of which offers two parking spaces, an electric charging point and access to green spaces, prompting SHDC to describe them as a “generation first”.

Applicants for the St Ann’s development should have a local connection to Bigbury, Kingston, Ringmore or Aveton Gifford parishes.