Member Article

Home Group start £2.5m Whitehaven housing project

Construction has started on a multi-million pound housing development in Whitehaven, Cumbria, to provide affordable housing to over 55s.

Housing association, Home Group, has invested £2.56m to develop two areas of Whitehaven into new residential sites, while affordable housing firm Esh Property Services has been contracted to build 27 homes.

The projects will be built on the sites of a former social club and a care home in the Mirehouse East area of the town.

Developments in Meadow Road will be on the former site of the Calder Club and Pow Beck Court, to provide 26 two bedroom bungalows and one three bedroom bungalow.

Phase one at Pow Beck Court has already started while Phase two be involve the demolition of the disused CIU Calder Club.

10 new homes will be built at the Pow Beck Court site, while the remainder will be constructed at the Calder Club.

Esh Property Services will be working with both the care home situated near to the site and local schools to keep residents up to date with the project’s progress, and to warn children of the dangers of playing near a construction site.

Home Group carried out consultation meetings with residents in October 2012 before submitting a planning application for the two sites.

Project manager, Vicky Hannah, commented: “The feedback we got from local residents is that they were pleased something was being done with the sites which some of them had described as a bit of an eyesore.

“There’s a high demand for bungalows in the area to provide accommodation for older people.The homes once complete will be for the over 55s and available for affordable rent.

“Whilst we have worked with Esh Property Services in other areas, this is the first opportunity we have had to work with the team in the North West and we are very much looking forward to working together on this project.”

Graham Morgan, operations director for Esh Property Services, added: “This is a great scheme for Whitehaven and we believe it will give a great boost to the area as these are brand new homes on sites which have been disused for a long time.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be working for Home Group to deliver these much needed homes and we are looking forward to working with the local community too.”

The scheme, which is partially funded by the Homes and Communities Agency, is due to be finished early in 2014.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .