Member Article

Work starts on Ipswich's biggest council house-building scheme for 50 years

Work has begun on a £10m project to bring affordable new homes in east Ipswich.

The transformation will see 108 high quality homes to the Holywells / Gainsborough area of Ipswich at Bader Close.

The scheme is part of the largest council house-building project Ipswich Borough Council has delivered for half a Century.

Working in partnership with housing and regeneration specialist, Keepmoat, 77 two-bedroom homes, 11 four-bedroom homes, 10 two-bedroom bungalows and 10 one-bedroom bungalows will be developed.

This new development forms part of Ipswich Borough Council’s wider plans to invest a total to build 300 new homes over the next three years.

Leader of the Council, David Ellesmere, was at Bader Close to see the start of work on site. He was joined by the Mayor, Councillor Bill Quinton, fellow Councillors and representatives from Keepmoat.

As part of the council’s agenda to Build a Better Ipswich and create a Greener Ipswich, Keepmoat will work with the council’s community teams to provide new initiatives that will benefit local residents.

The Bader Close development is the fourth major contract Keepmoat has secured in Ipswich, with the company currently delivering kitchen and bathroom refurbishments and previously completed external wall insulation projects under Government CESP and ECO funding. This has helped slash household fuel bills by making the homes more energy efficient.

Keepmoat has also just completed the conversion and refurbishment works to 19 flats and five bungalows at Newnham Court.

Councillor, David Ellesmere, said: “Bader Close is a major milestone in our ambitious plans to build over 300 new homes in Ipswich. Rather than stand by in the face of the national house building crisis, we have decided to build houses ourselves. Our houses will provide homes for 300 hundred Ipswich families currently living in overcrowded or unsuitable accommodation and will also support jobs in the construction industry and the wider local economy.”

Jason Seymour, New Build Director for Keepmoat South, said: “As a specialist in urban regeneration Keepmoat knows the provision of of new, high-quality, affordable homes in Ipswich will help improve the lives of hundreds of families looking for social housing as well as helping to regenerate the wider community.

“This is a landmark scheme for Keepmoat and Ipswich Borough Council. The council has been bold in embarking on this scheme to build more new council homes which will also create new training and employment opportunities for local people.”

The development at Bader Close is expected to be completed by autumn 2015 with the aims of the first homes being available by the end of 2014.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Chris Walker .