Work begins on affordable Kendal homes

A new multi-million pound housing development will deliver much-needed affordable homes for local people on Windermere Road, near Kendal.

Two Castles Housing Association working alongside Esh Property Services as part of the Hadrian Development Solutions Partnership, has started work to build 27 new affordable homes for people with a connection to the town or surrounding area. The homes will be made available for rent through the Cumbria Choice lettings scheme.

Part-funded by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) with support from South Lakeland District Council, the £3.8million development will include fourteen two bedroom houses and one two bedroom bungalow, as well as ten, three bedroom and two, four bedroom homes to rent.

Built using materials in keeping with the local area, each home will be constructed to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 Standards and will include a number of energy-efficient features to help residents keep their energy bills affordable.

Rob Brittain, property services director at Two Castles Housing Association, said: “There is currently a real demand for building quality affordable homes in areas serving rural communities across Cumbria. That is why we’re delighted for work to get underway on Windermere Road.

“The development will be sympathetic to the vernacular of the surrounding area with each new home constructed using traditional building methods and materials. A number of special environmental features such as a bat roosting habitat will also be created onsite to help protect local wildlife.

“Working with Esh Group as part of the innovative Hadrian Development Solutions Partnership is helping Two Castles to deliver more affordable homes in rural communities across the North West. This scheme will develop a range of new homes that are relevant to the needs of local individuals and their families in vital need of quality housing in the area.”

The Hadrian Development Solution Partnership is paving the way for housing providers to work together to deliver cost effective development projects in the North East and North West. It will deliver 250 new affordable homes to communities over the next four years, many in rural areas, utilising £5.2m of funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) under the Government’s Affordable Homes Programme.

Graham Morgan, operations director, Esh Property Services explained further: “These will be excellent new homes at Windermere Road. The location is beautiful and the homes themselves will blend in really well with the countryside with their slate tiled roofs and roughcast finish. The site sits on a slope and so the layout will be staggered either side of the new road being built. It’s going to be a fantastic development which will provide much needed affordable housing in this lovely part of the world.”

Cllr Peter Thornton, Leader of SLDC, said: “Building more homes for people to rent is a top priority for South Lakeland District Council. This development will provide 27 much needed new homes in Kendal. The high quality build coupled with energy efficient features will create modern houses that will help futuretenants keep their fuel bills to a minimum. This is a great example of partnership working which will provide new housing for our communities in South Lakeland.”

Deborah McLaughlin, executive director for the HCA said: “This is a great opportunity to build affordable new homes is this area. This shows the benefits of our investment and partnership working in terms of the homes and opportunities that are being created here. I look forward to seeing the development continuing to succeed.”