Former football star and family thrilled with new home

Former Owl centre forward, David Lycett, is enjoying life in a new home after ‘transferring’ to a brand new Sheffield Housing Company (SHC) property at the Brearley Forge development in the regenerated Parson Cross area of the city.

After being on Wednesday's books for five years David was struck down with multiple sclerosis and epilepsy ten years ago. Now, together with his wife Louisa and their daughter, Emmie, 16, he is renting a home from Great Places Housing Group, which owns and manages over 1,500 properties in Sheffield and is part of the SHC partnership, which also comprises the city council and housing regeneration specialist Keepmoat.

The spacious three-bedroom home is one of 142 Lifetime homes available to buy or rent at this quality development. Boasting spacious rooms and doorways suitable for wheelchair users, the homes can also be adapted to incorporate a lift and stair lift, and walls removed to create new spaces and doorways.

The new home is perfect for David whose family was forced to sell their home and move into private rented accommodation.  Then, a further blow was delivered when the rented home was sold without their knowledge.

Louisa said: “To be in this house is an enormous weight off our minds. We absolutely love it and can't believe how big it is. We were so impressed when we came round to view it and still can't believe we live here.

“David was working up until three years ago as a support worker and I was a dental nurse. But then he had two seizures at work and had to have a brain biopsy. His health went further down hill after that and we both had to give up work. Now I'm his full-time carer. This home has changed our lives.”

The couple have also been impressed with the energy efficient features which include solar panels designed to bring their energy bills right down and have been most surprised by the area itself.

“The people are lovely here - we've got really nice neighbours. We're round at each other's houses quite a lot. If David has a seizure I just go next door and Roger, our neighbour, helps. Many people have lived here for a long time – some for 50 years. Everyone talks to you and there is a real community spirit.”

Matthew Harrison, chief executive of Great Places, said: “It's fantastic to hear stories of residents enjoying the benefits of these quality homes. We're proud to be working as part of the Sheffield Housing Company (SHC) partnership and look forward to building more thriving communities in these up and coming areas of the city.”

Brearley Forge is SHC's first development. With plans to build 2,300 new homes across the city over the next 15 years, work has also started on the development of 116 homes at Cutler's View on the Norfolk Park site, off Park Spring Drive, and 47 properties at Shirecliffe.

All the SHC homes available to rent will be advertised on the Sheffield Property Shop website.If you would like to bid for a home when they are advertised, you will first need to be registered on the Council's Housing Register. If you aren't already registered, you need to complete a Housing Registration Form. More information on how to do this can be found via the Sheffield Property Shop or by phone on 0114 293 0000 / 205 3333.

For more information or to make an advanced reservation on your dream home, please visit Keepmoat's sales office at Brearley Forge, Falstaff Crescent, Sheffield, S5 8DD between 10.00am and 5.00pm Thursday to Monday. Alternatively, please call Keepmoat's home sales executive on 0114 299 6125 or visit www.keepmoat.com.