Coventry is set to benefit from 148 new affordable homes and substantial community investment delivered in partnership between leading housing provider, Stonewater and Countryside, the UK’s leading mixed-tenure developer. Planning has been approved to provide much-needed, affordable and energy-efficient homes on Elm Fields Farm. With the world’s attention firmly placed on combating climate change, all the homes will benefit from air source heat pumps to reduce energy bills – with 50 per cent also set to have solar panels installed – as well as electric vehicle charging points to further reduce emissions. The homes will also be built using modern methods of construction (MMC), with the closed timber panels made in Countryside’s factory and then transported onto site where they are assembled to form the walls of their homes, reducing construction waste. This approach reduces the amount of carbon embodied in building materials by 25 per cent – when compared to traditional brick and block construction – which is equivalent to the amount neutralised by approximately 16 acres of forest in one year. Alongside wider financial contributions, significant work will be undertaken to enhance the biodiversity on the site with wildflower meadows and ponds being incorporated into the development. Green, public open space and play equipment for new and existing residents to enjoy, as well as public art to promote the local area’s history and an apple orchard will also be provided. In addition, the scheme will support meeting the city Council’s objective for delivering sustainable transport measures, with improved bus and pedestrian access as well as electric car charging points, cycling routes and travel vouchers for residents.  Matt Crucefix, Stonewater’s Director of Development (South and West), added: “We’re really pleased to be working with Countryside to deliver this development. Embracing MMC allows us to provide more well-designed, mixed-tenure communities – speeding up delivery, whilst maximising efficiency and cutting waste. “Our ambition is to create good-quality homes that are affordable to maintain, which has become even more important in light of the cost-of-living crisis, in addition to supporting the wider community to thrive through investment to strengthen local services.” Phil McHugh, Managing Director, South Midlands, Countryside said: “We are committed to creating communities that people can be proud of. This site will bring well-located and much-needed affordable housing to Coventry. “We are delighted to be partnering with Stonewater on this inclusive residential development, which will not only create great quality affordable housing, but also investment in the local economy.” Through its partnership with the Community Forest Trust (CFT), Stonewater will also be donating £50 for every house it builds on the development – helping to plant five trees and connect more people with nature – as well as planting at least one tree for each home on the development. The mixed-tenure development will comprise a total of 148 homes offering a wide range of options to meet the housing needs of local individuals and families. This includes 54 homes for affordable rent and 27 for social rent, as well as 50 available for shared ownership and 17 available through Rent to Buy. Elm Fields Farm is located three miles to the north of Coventry city centre and will be built sitting just off Wigstone Road, Woodway Lane and Hinckley Road, with easy access to the A46, A45, M6 and M69. Work is expected to start on site at Elm Fields Farm in February 2023. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Leading property developer Select Property has launched One Port Street, a landmark residential destination in the heart of Manchester’s vibrant Northern Quarter with construction due to begin imminently. Construction is due to begin in early 2023, the development process will create at least 59 jobs and bring an estimated £28.07 million of economic impact to the city by the point of completion. The construction process will also provide the opportunity for new training and apprenticeship opportunities for local people. Comprising 477 premium apartments, it will be the first development in Select Property’s flagship residential brand the ‘Prestige Collection’, which centres around high-quality amenities and resident experience. Apartments range from one-bedroom to three-bedrooms. “Launching One Port Street – and our Prestige Collection – marks the culmination of decades’ of experience across the UK’s residential market, creating compelling places to live. One Port Street harnesses that knowledge to create the ultimate residential offer, and there is no better city to do it than Manchester,” said Adam Price, CEO of Select Property. “Once complete, the site will not only deliver for its residents, but it will bring greater value for the wider city too, creating an inviting neighbourhood with more green, public spaces and incorporating sustainability measures that will have a lasting positive impact on Manchester and its people for years to come.” With a focus on welcoming hospitality and outstanding quality, One Port Street will redefine city centre living providing the amenities of a luxury five-star hotel and the exclusivity of a private members’ club, giving residents the opportunity to socialise in any of the extensive communal areas, or allowing the privacy to enjoy the surroundings alone. Great care has been taken to ensure that One Port Street becomes a green gateway to the city with significant planting to create over 22,000 sq ft of public green space helping to create a better connection to the Northern Quarter, Ancoats and Piccadilly, as well as promoting greener travel with EV charging points and cycle storage. Designed by renowned architecture firm, SimpsonHaugh, the 33-storey One Port Street gives a nod to Manchester’s industrial history with the interior design taking inspiration from warehouse and loft conversions without the compromise on quality and layout. The design will blend elegant style with urban renewal and embrace raw architectural elements including wood, metal, stone and fire. The grand reception area will be reminiscent of a hotel, centred around a 360° firepit with concierge service, ensuring a warm welcome for all. There will also be a 2,000 sq ft leisure suite featuring a private swimming pool and spa pool, a state-of-the-art gym and separate fitness studio. With a focus on resident wellbeing, the new destination will also provide two outdoor spaces – a ground floor urban garden with covered seating to be enjoyed all year, and a rooftop garden terrace. Continuing the five-star experience, residents will also have access to Paganini’s, a seventh floor club lounge with terrace and dry bar available for hire, innovative co-working spaces with private booths, private dining areas available for hire and a premium ‘grab & go’ food and beverage outlet on the ground floor. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals Photo Credit: Select Property

A NORTH East housing development has taken canine comfort to the extreme – by creating a special pet friendly feature in one of its newest show houses. And the hope is that animal lovers will find the designated doggy space just one of the many reasons to buy on the Miller Homes Longshore Village site at Blyth, Northumberland. The company recently opened the four bedroom, detached Sherwood show home which has interiors inspired by its coastal location – an added bonus for walking pets. Miller Homes worked alongside Newcastle-based Q Interiors to come up with the perfect place for the family pooch – in the open space beneath the stairs which not only has been created with easy clean tiles but also has space for a dog bed and toys. The team used research which showed that dogs find being in the vicinity of their owner rewarding and so the close proximity to the main family areas of the house results in a happy pet. Karen Randles, senior interior designer at Q Interiors said it was an important factor to design a place which the pet could call their own. “Gone are the days when dogs were relegated to the utility room or a kennel outside, so we wanted to give them a dedicated space where they felt included and part of the family, but also safe and secure,” she said. “It was important that the space was near the front door of the home, where a dog can relax but still feel like they are protecting the property.” Karen believes utilising this area in this way is a great use of the space. “Under the stairs can often become a dumping ground for all sorts of clutter,” she said. Designing this area allowed us to be playful, while still making strategic choices to make the most of the space at hand. “The shape of the area, with its sloping ceiling and three enclosed sides, is very comforting for a dog as smaller spaces help them relaxed and feel safe, especially if there is a lot going in the home with children or other pets. Having their own space to retreat to gives them some peace and can stop anxious behaviours like barking. The room includes a wicker bed with washable pillow and an aesthetically pleasing basket for toys, as well as practicalities such as food bowls and hooks for leads and harnesses.” Miller Homes has also created a number of incentives available in January to help people secure their new homes on the estate. Details are available at https://www.millerhomes.co.uk/new-homes/north-east/south-newsham-blythe.aspx Aisling Ramshaw, sales director at Miller Homes North East, added that the inclusion of the dog “home” also highlighted the versatility of the new properties. “This new development is a fantastic location, right by the sea but with easy access to Newcastle and the wider Northumberland area,” she said. “We create homes for every member of the family – and that includes much loved pets. We hope visitors to the show house will be inspired how this could work for them.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Graven Hill is welcoming dozens more residents to the award-winning village development following the successful completion of the 26-apartment Palmer House. Situated near the entrance of the Graven Hill site, the studio, one and two-bedroom apartments have been built to an exacting standard and offer spectacular views over the Oxfordshire countryside, just outside Bicester. Graven Hill’s popularity continues to grow with more than 400 households already living on the growing development that will accommodate 1,900 homes once completed. Its reputation as THE place to live in Oxfordshire has been enhanced by regular appearances on Channel 4’s Grand Designs, as well as being recently named as one of the “Top Ten Places to Live” in the UK by The Sunday Times.  All Palmer House studios and apartments enjoy a high specification finish with extensive interior fittings, along with allocated car parking. Palmer House has proven to be extremely popular with many of the 26 apartments snapped up within weeks of coming on to the market. And some purchasers were among the last to take advantage of the Government’s Help to Buy scheme, according to Graven Hill’s marketing agents IMS Property Group. Michelle Niziol, CEO of IMS said: “It has been such a pleasure to be involved in the marketing and selling of Palmer House. The site has been so incredibly popular that we built a waiting list of people who sadly missed out on this development, but are ready for new homes to become available at Graven Hill. “The apartments are absolutely stunning and each purchaser has been overjoyed at the quality of the build, I am excited to continue working with Graven Hill and assist them on future sales.” Eve Penney and Will Mceachran were among the first Palmer House residents to pick up their keys after completing on their two-bed apartment. Eve said: “I saw Graven Hill on Grand Designs some time ago and, living locally, we could see the development taking shape. We liked that our apartment has two bathrooms and a shower and its location is great, being so near to town and the train station.” Graven Hill village is a unique development, designed to disrupt the UK property market and offer a wide range of housing options including self-build and custom build – tailored to individual needs – right through to apartments and affordable homes. All offer chic, hassle-free, modern-living options located just 15 minutes from Oxford via train and within walking distance from Bicester Outlet Village and train station. Gemma Davis, Graven Hill’s Customer Experience Director, attributes the village’s overall popularity to the large variety of high-quality build and design options available across the village, appealing to a wide range of buyers. Great transport links to Oxford and into London are also being cited as a key USP. She said: “Those coming to the site are seeking a different way of life, it’s more than just about buying a traditional new build. Palmer House has been phenomenally successful and the amount of interest we have seen has been far beyond our expectations. She added: “It shows how Graven Hill has far-reaching appeal, from first time buyers, right through to families or those looking to downsize. The sense of community is also really growing across the village which is lovely to see.” Other community amenities are also taking shape with the new Graven Hill primary school now under construction and ready for autumn 2023. Construction of commercial units are also well underway, with a dental practice currently being fitted out. A health and wellbeing hub and community centre are set to provide further facilities for residents.   Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

A planning application for 61 EPC A-rated new homes in the Bedfordshire village of Toddington has been submitted to Central Bedfordshire Council. The Reserved Matters application, by award winning housebuilder Hayfield, is for a £30m development of much needed new homes on a 7-acre (2.84 Ha) site off Russell Road, all of which will be zero carbon ready. Only 2% of the UK’s new homes are currently being built to EPC-A standards. Hayfield’s Toddington scheme will deliver homes that offer a greener way of living, with solar PV panels, air source heat pumps, energy-efficient underfloor heating, EV fast-charging points, 100% renewable energy, and fibre optic broadband. Andy Morris, Managing Director of Hayfield, said: “This will be our fifth development in Bedfordshire, and subject to planning, will deliver a high-quality range of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes in a variety of designs to suit the needs of the local community. All of the homes will be fossil-fuel free, and 18 of them will be affordable.” The site is allocated for residential development in the Central Bedfordshire Local Plan and previously received outline planning permission. To generate enhancements to biodiversity, the Toddington scheme will incorporate Public Open Space, new habitats for wildlife, native tree planting, an attenuation pond to be planted with wetland wildflowers, and the vast majority of existing trees and hedgerows will also be retained and enhanced. A new access road and a network of footpaths to adoptable standards will be created from Russell Road. The proposed new homes will be tenure blind, and all properties will have designated parking, with many benefiting from garages. Visitor parking spaces will also be widely available. All new Hayfield homes are zero carbon ready and exceed the government’s Future Homes Standard – which will be mandatory from 2025 – and include innovative solutions installed as standard, such as air-source heat pumps, increased insulation, water efficiency measures and electric vehicle charge points. The company is committed to being a sustainable developer and has pledged to be net zero by 2030. Hayfield builds beautiful homes in prime semi-rural locations in Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire and Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. For more information visit: https://www.hayfieldhomes.co.uk/ Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals