Milestone reached in 750-home landmark scheme

A North East housing provider is celebrating a milestone in the delivery of hundreds of affordable homes as work continues on a landmark garden village development.

Newcastle-headquartered Karbon Homes has marked two years since construction began at Seaham Garden Village with partner Esh Construction. 

Since work started, construction has commenced on 213 affordable homes, with 49 completed and occupied by residents earlier this year.

The development forms part of the wider 1500-home Seaham Garden Village scheme, with Karbon delivering 750 affordable homes for social rent, affordable rent and low-cost home ownership through Rent to Buy and Shared Ownership.

Designed with sustainability at its core, the homes are heated by an ultra-low carbon district heat network using warm water from former mine workings. 

Solar panels and battery storage will also help reduce energy costs for residents.

Future phases of the development will include 118 Extra Care apartments and 93 apartments for people aged over 55, creating a mixed community that caters for residents at different stages of life.

The completed development will also feature community facilities, including a primary school and a health and wellbeing hub, supporting the creation of a new neighbourhood on the County Durham coast.

Sarah Robson, group executive director of development and asset management at Karbon Homes, said: “It’s great to see our first customers moving into Seaham Garden Village, as we lay the foundations for a thriving new community with great quality design, affordable warmth and sustainability at its heart. 

“There’s been a lot of collaboration and work from many partners to get to this point and seeing our first customers move in is testament to this.” 

Mark Binns, operations director at Bowburn-headquartered Esh Construction, added: “Reaching the two-year milestone at Seaham Garden Village is a significant achievement for everyone involved in the development. 

“Through our close partnership with Karbon Homes, we've made excellent progress in bringing this vision to life, with the first residents now settled into their new homes and hundreds more properties progressing across the site.” 

The affordable homes are being part-funded by Homes England through Karbon’s strategic partnership with the government agency, while the remaining 750 homes at Seaham Garden Village are being built by Taylor Wimpey and Miller Homes for private sale.

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