Keon Homes brings in 2024 with £28m of new deals
Keon Homes has sealed a quartet of new land deals worth over £28m to get 2024 off to a flying start. One of the fastest growing developers of affordable housing and Extra Care schemes has built on a record-breaking 2023 by unlocking three crucial sites in Coventry, Nuneaton and Wolverhampton that will see it build a 150-strong mixture of houses and apartments. The Burntwood-based company, which has taken on 14 new people to cope with the increase in demand, has also agreed its first partnership with Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust. This will see it construct 65 new homes, a sports pavilion and football pitches for the community as part of the Local Authorities “Our Future City” plans. Matt Beckley, Head of Development at Keon Homes, commented: “These latest deals underline our ability to find land, securing planning and then, using strong relationships with housing associations, develop schemes that makes a real difference to local people. “The region is crying out for more affordable housing, and, with these recent wins, we are now programmed to start eight sites this year, delivering 300 new homes in total. “This will include working with our existing partners, such as Midland Heart and Walsall Housing Group, not to mention first projects for the Black Country Housing Group, Birmingham Municipal Housing Trust and Citizen Housing.” He continued: “This is more just than bricks and mortar. We are using the latest construction techniques and the strength of our local supply chain to regenerate brownfield sites into communities where individuals, couples and families can enjoy living.” 2023 was a transformational year for Keon Homes, with the company celebrating its 5th birthday and securing its first two Extra Care schemes. This started with a £15m deal with Wrekin Housing Group to deliver a scheme of 70 properties and a host of communal facilities. Situated just a ten-minute walk into Newport, Queenswood is set to provide high quality living space and wraparound care and support for people over the age of 55, offering a mix of one and two-bed apartments, private gardens, and a café. This was quickly followed by the £28m ‘Streethay’ development in Lichfield with Sanctuary Group, a project that will see the company build 138 plots in total, comprising 60 bungalows and a 78-bed Extra Care scheme. Matt went on to add: “Our mission is all about ‘Doing the Right Thing’ and that flows throughout the business, from the way we treat our staff and the way we develop our supply chains to the way we forge exceptionally strong partnerships with Housing Associations and our other client partners. “This has seen us successfully complete 14 sites and 400 plots in just five years, with a secured £103m pipeline of deals in place. Importantly, in the most recent Best Workplaces List survey, 100% of Keon Homes employees stated that we are a great place to work.” Warren Bolton, Director at Keon Homes, concluded: “Our sector is experiencing a raft of challenges and there will be some casualties this year. That is why we are seeing strong demand for our services, as we have strong financial backing and a proven track record of delivering high quality affordable housing and extra care schemes.” For further information, please visit www.keonhomes.co.uk or follow Keon Homes on its social channels. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Orbit Homes continues its drive to provide more affordable homes in Daventry with second phase of flagship development
Leading affordable housebuilder, Orbit Homes, is set to launch the second phase of its flagship development, Micklewell Park, delivering 72 more affordable homes to the area and eight market sale homes. The new phase will include a mix of two, three and four bedroom homes, including a limited number of bungalows, available via Shared Ownership and a choice of four and five bedroom homes available via market sale. The new homes at Micklewell Park will include Orbit Homes’ high specification as standard, meaning all purchasers can benefit from: The development will also feature Orbit Homes’ brand new sector-leading house designs, which have been matched against the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accident’s (RoSPA) Safer by Design framework and British Standard 5395-1 stairs to reduce the risk of falls. Works have already begun, with the first homes available to purchase early February and set to be ready March 2024. Colin Dean, Sales and Marketing Director at Orbit Homes, said: “Micklewell Park has proved incredibly popular thanks to its range of quality, affordable and energy efficient homes and picturesque location, so we are delighted to be able to expand the availability further for people living in and around Daventry. “Our collection of Shared Ownership homes are ideal for local first-time buyers, young couples, growing families and downsizers alike, whilst our market sale homes are perfect for local families. Our tenure-blind approach means all of our homes feature our all-inclusive specification, which offers customers so many essential finishes included as standard. “Given the popularity of new community at Micklewell Park, we anticipate high levels of interest in our new phase, so we encourage anyone who is interested in securing a new home via market sale or Shared Ownership to register their interest now.” Micklewell Park is nestled within an attractive rural setting and ancient woodland on the outskirts of Daventry, not far from the picturesque village of Welton. With a fantastic choice in terms of style and size of homes, Micklewell Park is the perfect place for every stage of life; to enjoy an enviable lifestyle and be part of a new, well-placed community. To find out more about the properties on offer at Micklewell Park, please visit https://www.orbithomes.org.uk/micklewell-park/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Green light for 56 new energy-efficient homes coming to North Toryglen in Glasgow
Award winning housebuilder Cruden Homes is bringing 56 high quality homes to North Toryglen after receiving planning approval from Glasgow City Council. Supporting Glasgow’s large-scale regeneration initiative – Clyde Gateway – the growing development is situated next to one of the city’s eight Transformational Regeneration Areas and champions wider plans to enhance local communities. The new homes at Prospecthill Road follow several highly successful phases of Cruden’s award-winning King’s View development in the area, and will feature a range of high quality two- and three-bed terraced houses and three-bed semi detached properties, all with private gardens. The sustainable homes will be built to Glasgow Gold Standard, with solar PV panels and air source heat pumps to improve energy efficiency levels and reduce day-to-day running costs for homeowners. The latest phase of development encourages biodiversity and pays tribute to the natural surroundings in close proximity to the site, which feature extensive greenery and landscaping with attractive woodland, footpaths and cycle paths. Bird and bat boxes and bug hotels are also being incorporated into the new homes for local wildlife. As part of Clyde Gateway’s major urban regeneration plans, the wider area offers outstanding green spaces and high quality facilities to enhance lives for local residents. This includes the stunning nature reserve at Malls Mire Community Woodland, which enjoys direct links from the development. Homeowners will also benefit from an array of local amenities, including a public park and play areas, shops, a supermarket, schools and nurseries, a health centre and fantastic transport links to the city centre. Cruden has already built 273 private and affordable homes at King’s View, creating a vibrant community for families, downsizers and people of all age groups. This next phase of 56 new homes strengthens Cruden’s commitment to bring more quality, sustainable homes to the area. Work is due to begin on the new homes next year. Fraser Lynes, Managing Director of Cruden Homes, said: “Toryglen is a dynamic location with a wealth of amenities on the doorstep for new homeowners. Our next phase of homes will present the perfect option for those who are looking to join a growing and inclusive community with plenty of surrounding amenities and abundance of green space. “This area has been a key focus for Clyde Gateway’s urban regeneration in recent years, bringing major social and economic benefits to local people. Cruden has a strong track record of delivering multi-tenure new homes here and we’re thrilled to be once again contributing to this transformation by bringing even more sustainable properties to the locale.” Martin McKay, Chief Executive of Clyde Gateway said: “One of the biggest and most noticeable changes across Clyde Gateway over the past few years has been in housing. So, we are delighted that Cruden is delivering a further 56 new, energy efficient homes in this very popular area, situated in a thriving local community. “This development has a strong focus on biodiversity and sustainability, which is in keeping with our neighbouring nature reserve, Malls Mire Community Woodland. This all contributes to Clyde Gateway’s wider aim to continually improve the lives of residents and to be an attractive area for people to live, work and play.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
£20m affordable housing development underway in Cheltenham
Building work is underway on a new £20m development of affordable housing with low-carbon heating systems in Cheltenham. Housing association Bromford has started construction of 71 new homes on a brownfield site on Village Road in the town. The four-acre site is the former home of the Douglas Equipment factory which had been empty since the site closed in 2020. The former factory buildings were demolished in April in preparation for work getting underway to build the new homes. The development, called The Fairway, will be a mix of 1-bedroom maisonettes and two, three, four and five-bedroom homes. Thirty-two homes will be available to rent, with the other 39 available to part-buy, part-rent through Bromford’s shared ownership scheme. All 71 homes at The Fairway will be heated by air source heat pumps, which are a low-carbon alternative to gas boilers. They are more efficient than a standard boiler, allowing households to use less energy to keep their homes warm. The homes will all have EV charging points, and most of them will also have solar panels. The £20m development is being part-funded by Bromford’s strategic partnership with Homes England. Project manager Stuart Hay said: “I’m delighted that work is underway on our new development to provide new affordable, sustainable homes here in Cheltenham. Installing air source heat pumps in all these homes will reduce our customers’ reliance on fossil fuels and helps us on our journey to becoming a net-zero carbon organisation. “House prices in Cheltenham are ten times average incomes*, which means buying a home in the town is out of reach for many people, so there is a clear need for more affordable housing in the town. With a mix of rented and shared ownership homes, the variation of housing we are providing at The Fairways means there’s something for everyone. I’m looking forward to seeing the site progress over the coming months and welcoming the first customers into their new homes.” The homes are being built by Bromford’s in-house construction team, which last year completed 232 of the 1,265 homes built by the Gloucestershire-based housing association. The entire development is due to be completed in spring 2025. The first shared ownership homes will be available shortly – find out more at www.findahome.bromford.co.uk *According to National Housing Federation data Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Orbit Homes and Wates awarded Gold for Best Partnership Scheme at the 2023 What House? Awards
Affordable housebuilder, Orbit Homes and leading construction company, Wates are celebrating after being presented with the Gold award for Best Partnership Scheme at the 2023 What House? Awards in recognition of their regeneration of Park East in Erith. The award was presented following completion of a £120m scheme which was the latest phase by the two organisations of a wider initiative to regenerate two estates in Erith in the London Borough of Bexley. Between the two phases, around 900 households have been moved from substandard accommodation and a similar number of new homes for market sale, rent and shared ownership have been built under the partnership. The judges praised the collaborative approach in delivering a thoughtfully designed scheme, with a high level of specification and architectural detail, as well as the palpable community feel that has been generated at what is an exemplar of estate regeneration. Group Director of Orbit Homes, Helen Moore, commented: “I’m extremely proud of this award. To be presented with the Gold Award for Best Partnership alongside Wates is an outstanding achievement. “The award is a real testament to how partnership working and a shared commitment to providing high quality affordable homes can help to transform estates previously dominated by poor quality, ageing housing into vibrant and attractive, mixed tenure communities. “Park East and its neighbouring Erith Park are now safe and inclusive communities providing high quality, energy-efficient homes. It’s wonderful to see the team’s shared vision and seamless partnership in creating a place people are proud to call home achieve recognition with this award.” To find out more about Orbit Homes, click here. Helen Rieman, Business Growth Director, Wates said: “Creating genuine partnerships is what we strive to achieve – to work with deprived and wanting communities, to create not just better homes but a better living environment in all ways. We are very proud of our collaboration with Orbit and to win this Gold award from WhatHouse? is the culmination of a strong and enduring partnership between our teams. “The integration with all stakeholders and ensuring that we have a supply chain that is aligned to our and our partners’ values, are all important ingredients to creating a successful new development. At Park East, we have taken an area and a community that needed support and investment, through a journey which has delivered them a well-connected and quality new place to call home.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bromford wins next phase of affordable housing at Graven Hill
A Midlands housing association has secured the next phase of work at the UK’s largest self and custom-build development. Graven Hill Village Development Company (GHVDC) has re-appointed Bromford for this latest phase, which will include 50 homes; 31 of which will be affordable rent and 19 shared ownership at the 462-acre site. As with all new builds at Graven Hill, regardless of construction form, they will meet the Passive Design Standards Revision F which, since adopted by Graven Hill in 2016, have delivered dwellings with energy standards which are higher than the statutory requirements set out in current building regulations. Graven Hill doesn’t just comply with statutory policy requirements, it exceeds them by incorporating sustainable design and construction technology to achieve low carbon development through a combination of fabric energy efficiency and carbon compliance for example. Gemma Davis, customer experience director at GHVDC, said: “Bromford has worked at Graven Hill since 2017, helping to deliver 93 affordable homes to date. “Graven Hill is unique and diverse and aims to offer the widest range of housing, from self and custom-build to apartments and extra care facilities. With 30% of the site providing affordable homes, it has been essential that we find a partner that shares the same vision; to deliver a successful, diverse and pioneering development.” Bromford has 46,000 homes across its operating area in the West Midlands and West of England. Alongside its existing 93 properties at Graven Hill, the housing association will take ownership of the first 26 new homes before the end of the year, comprising of 16 for affordable rent and 10 for shared ownership. The remaining 15 affordable and 9 shared ownership homes will be handed to Bromford next year and are part of the 1,200 new homes the housing association will be delivering during the year. Satty Tiwana, project manager from Bromford said: “We’re delighted to be working with Graven Hill Village Development Company again to provide affordable housing on the latest phase of this project. We’ve just had the first eight homes handed over to us and our latest customers are getting ready to move into their new homes. “They will all benefit from our unique approach to housing management which is focused on creating a close relationship between our customers and their neighbourhood coach. We know that every customer is unique and different customers will benefit from different types of relationship, but we will work with each of them to learn and understand each of their aspirations so we can work together to help them achieve them so they can thrive in their new home.” Graven Hill is a former Ministry of Defence site, which has become a thriving new community with almost 500 homes delivered to date and hundreds more to come. The primary school opened its doors this month, alongside a cocktail bar, wine shop and dentist practice. A nursery school provider is also set to commence development. Further retail units are currently under offer and a site at the frontage intended for a pub restaurant continues to be marketed. Significant amenities planned include a sports pavilion, pitches and allotments and access to the Graven Hill wood. GHVDC is also seeking local contractors to tender for its next phase of new homes and apartments. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals