PERSHORE residents and West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin have celebrated a new housing development named after a late town stalwart.

Seven new affordable homes, built by Speller Metcalfe for Rooftop Housing Association already have new occupants and residents joined in the celebrations last Friday (February 27).

The £1.2million project involved demolishing 50 garages off Farleigh Road in Pershore and building the high-spec affordable homes in time for occupation last month.

The development has been named in memory of Pershore Plum Festival founder and town councillor Dave Shaw.

Cllr Shaw died suddenly in January 2013 aged 64 of a brain haemorrhage but left behind a lasting legacy having been crucial to the town's largest event.

Mr Shaw's family attended the ceremony along with VIPs from the district and town councils, Rooftop Housing Association and the Homes and Communities Agency, who helped to fund the project.

Mrs Baldwin said: "Rooftop Housing have a number of important local projects underway making good use of brownfield sites, providing affordable homes for local people.

"The quality of these homes is impressive and Speller Metcalfe are to be congratulated for their work. Each home is energy efficient to a very high standard and each also has solar panels to help make them cheap to run.

"It is also pleasing to see bungalows being built offering a range of housing options for people of all ages.

"Naming the street after the celebrated town champion David Shaw was a nice touch and it was great to talk to his family and know that he is now a permanent part of Pershore."