A brand-new neighbourhood is taking shape on the edge of Ilkeston, where Avant Homes is building Bennerley View – a £58 million development of 250 properties in Awsworth. On paper, it’s the kind of modern estate that promises a fresh start: tree-lined streets, tidy brick homes, and walking distance from the iconic Bennerley Viaduct.
But behind the glossy brochures lies a familiar story about the state of Britain’s housing market – and what it means for both first-time buyers and those searching for affordable rent.
High hopes, high prices
Bennerley View includes a mix of two- to five-bedroom homes, starting around £180,000 and rising to over £430,000 for the largest detached houses. Around 20% of the site is earmarked as “affordable housing,” but that typically means homes discounted by 20% under Discount Market Sale rules – still far from what many young families or single buyers can comfortably afford.
Even with that discount, a first-time buyer would still need a deposit of around £9,000 to £10,000, plus legal fees and rising mortgage rates – figures that feel out of reach for many in Erewash.
As one local resident put it:
“They call it affordable, but unless you’re on a really good wage, it’s not. Most young people round here don’t stand a chance.”
Renters face the same squeeze
While Avant Homes has mostly marketed Bennerley View for sale, a number of the new houses have appeared on Rightmove and Zoopla for rent, managed by letting agents such as Ascend. A three-bedroom semi is listed at around £1,195 to £1,380 per month – more than the average Ilkeston mortgage payment for a similar home.
These properties fall under the “build-to-rent” model, designed to offer new, energy-efficient homes to tenants who can’t yet buy. They’re modern and pet-friendly, often with incentives like one month’s free rent or no deposit, but they’re still market rent – not social or council housing.
For many, that means paying almost all of their disposable income just to live in a home they’ll never own.
A generation caught in the middle
The rise of developments like Bennerley View reflects a national trend: young professionals and families caught between two unaffordable options – too expensive to buy, too expensive to rent.
In towns like Ilkeston and Awsworth, where wages are below the national average and rental stock is limited, new-build estates often highlight how wide the gap has grown between incomes and housing costs.
And with mortgage rates and cost-of-living pressures still high, many first-time buyers have paused their plans entirely. Meanwhile, private rents have surged across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, with few long-term rental homes offering genuine affordability or security.
Good design, difficult realities
None of this takes away from the quality of the development itself – Bennerley View offers attractive, energy-efficient homes in a great location near countryside walks and rail links. It’s a welcome addition to the area in terms of investment and regeneration.
But for a growing number of Ilkeston residents, it’s a visual reminder of how tough it’s become to get a foot on the ladder – or even find a decent, affordable place to live.
Until wages, mortgage lending, and housing policy catch up with reality, estates like Bennerley View may continue to look like dream communities that few locals can truly call home.
Have your say:
Have you tried to buy or rent locally in the past year? What’s been your experience of prices and availability? Join the conversation on the Ilkeston News Facebook page or email news@ilkestonnews.co.uk.