Member Article

Partnership brings new homes to Castletown

A £17m pound scheme to breathe new life into Castletown in Sunderland is nearing completion with the first residents moving into their new homes.

The housing development is part of the Castletown Masterplan, a 10-year housing led regeneration programme for the area which could bring up to 145 new homes to the area.

The development is being carried out under a Joint Venture Agreement between Sunderland City Council, Gentoo and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

Peter Walls, Gentoo Chief Executive, said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with Sunderland City Council and the HCA to regenerate housing in this well established area of the city.

“The new homes will give residents of Castletown a much bigger choice of high quality housing which is energy efficient and uses the most up-to-date building materials. This will offer a sustainable choice of housing both now and in the future.”

Councillor Harry Trueman, Sunderland City Council portfolio holder for Sustainable Communities, added: “The housing on offer in the St Catherine’s development is a welcome addition to Sunderland but of course, particularly to Castletown.

“The new homes look great and are built to a fantastic standard.

“It is particularly pleasing that people are being enabled to buy properties on this development through the council’s mortgage scheme, further exemplifying the councils strategic role in facilitating regeneration in the city.”

The scheme, which has received £11m in funding from the HCA alongside £6m from Gentoo, is creating 79 new homes in its first phase, which is set for completion next month. 47 houses will be offered for rent, with a further 22 for sale and 10 available through a low-cost home ownership scheme.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .