Avant Homes has started construction on a £42 million, 150 new home multi-tenure development in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire. Called Bishop’s Quarter and located off Hodgsons Lane, the 18-acre development will comprise a mix of three-, four- and five-bedroom practically designed, energy efficient family homes. In addition, the housebuilder has announced
Castle Green Partnerships is working with ClwydAlyn to deliver 56 energy efficient homes in Mynydd Isa. ClwydAlyn is the third housing association to partner with the St Asaph headquartered business, part of Castle Green Homes. Between the Mynydd Isa scheme, and developments on behalf of Adra and Torus, Castle Green
A scheme which protects the quality of privately rented homes in parts of Scarborough is to continue for another five years. North Yorkshire Council approved the selective licensing designation for parts of the Castle, Northstead and Falsgrave divisions in the seaside town. Selective licensing allows councils to designate areas where
Construction work has started on the Livv Homes first affordable housing scheme in Warrington, Cheshire. The £5.2 million Parkside Place development on Wilderspool Causeway is set to support local people onto the property ladder with 29 apartments for Rent to Buy. Located within a predominately residential area along Wilderspool Causeway,
A new public consultation has been launched on the development of the UK’s first purpose-built and co-produced majority LGBTQ+ Extra Care housing scheme in Whalley Range, south Manchester. Proposed by Great Places, the development is planned for the site of the former Spire Hospital in Russell Road, Whalley Range, which
Following the delivery of sanitation facilities earlier this year for Arena Church in Nottingham, Midlands contractor, G F Tomlinson has transformed another disused space to help vulnerable city residents who need it most. As part of the company’s commitment to delivering social value in the region and building on its
Plans for 280 apartments to be built in the centre of Preston have been formally submitted to the City Council. The new building, consisting of 67 two-bedroom and 213 one-bedroom apartments, will replace some of the existing buildings within the development site at 127-131 Church Street. It will rise from
Relocating to the idyllic Devonshire countryside, to a small rural village surrounded by spectacular views is a dream for many. For John Greatwood and his family, it’s now reality. John and his wife Phillipa lived and worked in Carshalton in South London with their four-year-old twins, Finley and Imogen. When
Construction work is continuing on hundreds of new homes and community facilities at Holloway Park, on the site of the former Holloway Prison in Islington. Peabody and its partners, including the Greater London Authority, the London Borough of Islington and London Square, gathered at the historic site on to see
Rotherham Council recently celebrated an important milestone towards achieving its aim to provide more affordable housing to the area. The completion of 12 homes at Harron Homes’ The Paddocks development in Wickersley marked the 500th home built and was celebrated by an event hosted at the development. Harron successfully put forward
Avant Homes has started construction on a £42 million, 150 new home multi-tenure development in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire. Called Bishop’s Quarter and located off Hodgsons Lane, the 18-acre development will comprise a mix of three-, four- and five-bedroom practically designed, energy efficient family homes. In addition, the housebuilder has announced it has sold 15 properties off plan ahead of work starting on site. Bishop’s Quarter features 14 of Avant Homes’ house types. Prices range from £289,995 for a three-bedroom semi-detached property to £549,995 for a five-bedroom detached home. Of the 150 homes being built, 40 per cent have been designated to affordable housing. Avant Homes has also committed to a community contribution of around £625,000 to support local highways, infrastructure, a waste and recycling contribution and a travel plan. A three-bedroom detached Cadeby showhome is due to open in April with the first homes set to be ready for occupation in Summer 2024. Avant Homes North Yorkshire managing director, Matt Oldfield, said: “We always knew Bishop’s Quarter would prove to be extremely popular. Sherburn-in-Elmet is a great place to live with both excellent amenities and straightforward access to Selby, Tadcaster, Leeds and York. “This is demonstrated by us selling 15 multi-tenure homes off plan before work has started on site, and by the significant number of interested prospective buyers who have been in touch with us. “Bishop’s Quarter will be another great example of us delivering on our promises of providing quality new homes for everyone and creating vibrant communities wherever we build.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Castle Green Partnerships is working with ClwydAlyn to deliver 56 energy efficient homes in Mynydd Isa. ClwydAlyn is the third housing association to partner with the St Asaph headquartered business, part of Castle Green Homes. Between the Mynydd Isa scheme, and developments on behalf of Adra and Torus, Castle Green Partnerships is set to deliver more than 900 affordable homes in the next three to four years. Full planning permission for the Mold Road scheme in Mynydd Isa was originally granted to ClwydAlyn in January 2021. Castle Green Partnerships stepped in and submitted an application to amend the house types in July 2023, after a previous contractor withdrew from the scheme. Enabling works started on site in August 2023 and the revised plans were approved in October. Partnerships director Eoin O’Donnell said: “This is the first site that Castle Green Partnerships will deliver for ClwydAlyn. Initially we were contracted for the construction of the roads and sewers and subsequently agreed to build out the full site, cementing our growing relationship with ClwydAlyn. This represents a significant step forward for the Partnerships side of our business and brings the total number of affordable homes we are contracted to deliver to more than 900. “The need for affordable housing has never been greater. We aim to provide well designed, fuel-efficient, high quality affordable homes. The Mynydd Isa scheme will provide a valuable and much-needed contribution to the affordable housing in Flintshire, with a mix of properties for social and and intermediate rent.” Across the development there will be range of homes from one-bedroom apartments, to two and three-bedroom bungalows, to two and three-bedroom houses. Enabling works started on site in August 2023. The first homes will be ready to move into in winter 2024, with the overall development expected to be completed by autumn 2025. The homes in Mynydd Isa are part of ClwydAlyn ambitious development programme to deliver 1,500 new homes in North Wales by 2025, with an overall expected investment of £250 million. The homes will include solar panels and batteries, air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points, ensuring that they are energy efficient and cost effective to run. To support the areas surrounding wildlife, a bat barn will be constructed on site to facilitate roosting for local colonies. There will also be 1.5 acres of open space provided as part of the development, including areas of low seeding mix and planting to benefit the microclimate. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A scheme which protects the quality of privately rented homes in parts of Scarborough is to continue for another five years. North Yorkshire Council approved the selective licensing designation for parts of the Castle, Northstead and Falsgrave divisions in the seaside town. Selective licensing allows councils to designate areas where there is a high concentration of privately rented housing, and where there may be issues of poor property conditions and management within those properties, plus associated issues such as high levels of deprivation or anti-social behaviour. Executive member for culture, arts and housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “Selective licensing is one of the ways we can tackle the problems of poor quality and poorly managed accommodation in the private rented sector as well as address anti-social behaviour. “The private rented sector within the designated area equates to just over 50 per cent of all the homes there so it is vital we look after the interests of the people who rent them as poor housing can have a big impact on health and social care. We have many good landlords and this scheme aims to help both them and their tenants. “Under the Scarborough scheme, which comes into force on 01 June and lasts five years, all privately rented properties within the designated area will have to be licensed by us.” The period of designation will last for five years and include conditions aimed at ensuring licensed properties are safe, meet basic standards and are managed in a satisfactory way. The landlord licence fee is £695 per single-household property to cover the five-year period of the designation. This will be used for the running cost of the scheme. Extra charges will apply for multiple-household properties. Discounts may be available for landlords applying early or if they are a member of a recognised landlord association. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction work has started on the Livv Homes first affordable housing scheme in Warrington, Cheshire. The £5.2 million Parkside Place development on Wilderspool Causeway is set to support local people onto the property ladder with 29 apartments for Rent to Buy. Located within a predominately residential area along Wilderspool Causeway, the five-storey contemporary apartment block will comprise 21 one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom apartments. There will also be 32 parking spaces, associated landscaping, cycle and refuse storage. Livv has secured grant funding from Homes England to support the delivery of the scheme in Warrington. Northwest construction company, PGS Projects, has been appointed principal contractor. Yvonne Westhead-Fyles, Director of Development, Growth and Sales at Livv Housing Group, said: “We’re excited to be bringing Parkside Place to Warrington – our first development in the area. With house prices in Warrington averaging over £250,000 and the town experiencing significant population growth, many first-time buyers are finding it difficult to get onto the property ladder. “Parkside Place will bring high quality and affordable new homes to meet local housing need, enhancing the sustainability of the neighbourhood and community, whilst providing a pathway to home ownership through Rent to Buy. “We’re aiming to provide 1,000 new homes over the next three years across the Liverpool City Region, Warrington and West Lancashire. We’re building in places where we can make the greatest impact and Parkside Place will contribute to creating a thriving community, whilst establishing our presence in Warrington. We’re delighted to be here.” The scheme is utilising Modern Methods of Construction, such as structural insulated panels (SIPS). Graeme Spencer, Managing Director at PGS, commented: “Building new homes is essential to meet the growing demand for affordable housing in the UK and we are thrilled to be working with Livv on Parkside Place. “At the heart of our new construction project is a commitment to sustainability. We are using the latest technology and materials to ensure that our homes are energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. “We are proud to be part of this exciting project and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on the community. Working in partnership with Livv, together we are creating a better future for everyone.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new public consultation has been launched on the development of the UK’s first purpose-built and co-produced majority LGBTQ+ Extra Care housing scheme in Whalley Range, south Manchester. Proposed by Great Places, the development is planned for the site of the former Spire Hospital in Russell Road, Whalley Range, which was demolished in 2019 and the brownfield site has since remained vacant. The proposals for the majority Extra Care housing scheme have been developed with the input of the Russell Road Community Steering Group, Manchester City Council and LGBT Foundation. The planned scheme will deliver 80 one- and two-bedroom social rented apartments for older people in a brick building of four to five storeys. The low-carbon scheme will include shared facilities, lounges and treatment rooms and landscaped gardens which will look to ensure an overall net gain of trees on the site. Extra Care housing developments look to increase the affordable housing opportunities for older people to move into high quality accommodation, with flexible care and support services available to meet changing needs encouraging independent living. The residents will be required to be aged 55 years or over, with the majority of residents being members of the LGBTQ+ community from Manchester. Living alongside allies and other members of the local community, the aim is to provide an open and inclusive, physical and psychological place of safety for the older LGBTQ+ community and a welcome addition to the Whalley Range area. The site will also include a neighbouring separate shared ownership block consisting of around 40 apartments, a mix of 1 and 2 bed apartments, delivering affordable homes to first time buyers and eligible customers, helping to address emerging affordability issues in places such as Whalley Range. Residents will be able to see the plans and give their views at public consultation meetings at the site on Russell Road on Friday 12 January 2-8pm and Saturday 13 January from 12-2pm. Members of the local community will also be able to provide their views online by visiting https://ourvoice.greatplaces.org.uk/russell-road-your-views or by contacting Chris.Baldwin@greatplaces.org.uk by 8 March. Commenting on the launch of the consultation Helen Spencer, our Executive Director of Growth, said: “We are delighted to launch our public consultation for this exciting and innovative project, which aims to create the UK’s first purpose-built and co-produced LGBTQ+ Extra Care housing scheme in Whalley Range. “Russell Road will provide high-quality, affordable, and inclusive homes for older people who identify as LGBT+ or allies, as well as shared ownership opportunities for local residents. We believe this scheme will not only meet the specific needs and aspirations of the LGBT+ community, but also enhance the diversity and vibrancy of Whalley Range as a neighbourhood. “We look forward to hearing the views of the local community and working with our partners, Manchester City Council and LGBT Foundation, to make this vision a reality.” Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said: “This is landmark development for Manchester’s LGBTQ+ community and there has been a lot of interest in this development already. We know there is a gap in the market for affordable housing for older people where care needs are met onsite – and where they can feel accepted and live with dignity. “Critical to this project has been the co-production process with our community steering group that have helped guide the design principles for these homes to ensure they meet the needs of future residents. “Now it’s the time to present the proposals to the wider community – and I’d urge as many people as possible to take a look and give us their thoughts. This feedback really does help ensure developments like this complement and enhance our neighbourhoods.” Paul Martin, CEO at LGBT Foundation, said: “LGBT Foundation is proud to have been involved in the development of the LGBT+ majority Extra Care housing scheme in Whalley Range since it was proposed some years ago. “The views of the local community are key to making this development a success and we encourage people to use their voice to help shape the future of this landmark project, to ensure it offers a safe and welcoming home for older LGBT+ people.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Following the delivery of sanitation facilities earlier this year for Arena Church in Nottingham, Midlands contractor, G F Tomlinson has transformed another disused space to help vulnerable city residents who need it most. As part of the company’s commitment to delivering social value in the region and building on its long-standing relationship with the church, the contractor has provided ventilation upgrades and enhancement works for the basement area of the central city shelter in Western Street, Hockley. The contractor partnered with Amptron Electrical Services to provide upgraded ventilation systems which allow mechanical air change movements, to help with the lack of natural air flow, due to the location within the building. The G F Tomlinson Client Care team also carried out redecoration works to the space. These enhancements have enabled the basement area to become a more comfortable space within the church, providing vulnerable Nottingham residents with shelter, sanitation facilities and hot refreshments. New bollards were also installed to car parking bays, enabling the church to rent out the spaces to local businesses in the city centre, providing much needed revenue for the shelter. A drone survey was also completed of the building’s roof, to assist Arena Church with assessing repair and maintenance needs. In February, G F Tomlinson worked with local sub-contractors alongside Pastor, Jono Kirk, from Arena Community, to convert previously unused space into a shower and washer / dryer facility for vulnerable Nottingham residents to use who lack access to basic sanitation facilities. This year, the contractor has provided a total of £67,782 worth of social value-added opportunities for Arena Church, and the vital additions will act as an extension of the church’s mission to ‘Go, Grow, Love and Serve’ in Nottingham City, with facilities and spaces on hand ready for the church’s ‘Care for a Coffee’ initiative, which launches early next year. ‘Care for a Coffee’ will provide warm, safe spaces for vulnerable people to get a weekly hot meal, with an option to clean and dry clothes and make the most of a ‘shower hour.’ Stephen Green, project manager at G F Tomlinson, said: “It has been a pleasure to return to the Arena Church and to build on the great work we did previously, providing further necessary renovations to this community asset and provide help and facilities where most needed, especially in the wintertime. “As a company, we are strong advocates of the incredible work that Arena Church does for the local area, and it’s a privilege that the team have again been involved in further enhancing spaces to provide refuge for vulnerable people in Nottingham.” Jono Kirk, Pastor at Arena Church, said: “We’re very grateful for our relationship with G F Tomlinson and other subcontractors who have helped us on our journey to improve support services for city residents who need our help. Our community can now access vital facilities and safe, comfortable spaces which they wouldn’t have been had without the help of this partnership. Thank you to everyone involved.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans for 280 apartments to be built in the centre of Preston have been formally submitted to the City Council. The new building, consisting of 67 two-bedroom and 213 one-bedroom apartments, will replace some of the existing buildings within the development site at 127-131 Church Street. It will rise from four storeys to a part-19 storey building with 337 sq.m of ground floor commercial accommodation provided in addition to residential amenity areas, landscaped courtyard and cycle storage. The historic 131 Church Street will be retained and refurbished and the scheme will boast an outdoor seating area in the new central public realm core. If approved the 19,257 sq.m apartments scheme in Preston is expected to start on site during Autumn 2024. Luke Averill, Managing Director of developer TAG, said: “Preston City Centre continues to look forward and we are delighted to have submitted this planning application. “We believe our project will contribute significantly to the long-term success of Preston, which is outlined in the transformational 15-year vision ‘Preston’s City Investment Plan (2020 – 2035)’. I would like to thank the professional team that have got us to this stage and also say that we are actively seeking joint venture partners for this exciting scheme.” Consultants on the scheme include DAY Architectural Ltd, Zerum PDM, Scalia Planning, Futureserve, TPM Landscape Ltd, MB Heritage, ERAP, Adept Consulting Engineers (Manchester) Ltd, SK Transport Planning Ltd, Arcaero, GIA Surveyors, Noise Air, Jensen Hughes, TC Property and RAD. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Relocating to the idyllic Devonshire countryside, to a small rural village surrounded by spectacular views is a dream for many. For John Greatwood and his family, it’s now reality. John and his wife Phillipa lived and worked in Carshalton in South London with their four-year-old twins, Finley and Imogen. When it came to deciding where they wanted their children to go to school, the couple decided to pack up and move to the mid-Devon village of Hemyock. With a clear vision for the home and location they wanted to live in, as well as a firm deadline for when they needed to be moved by in the country, John and Phillipa searched Rightmove and found the Cavanna Homes Oak Mount development in Hemyock. “The area and its amenities were the biggest selling point for us, particularly as the local primary school is within walking distance of Oak Mount,” explained John. We also wanted to be within a 15-minute drive of Honiton as we have close friends who live there,” he added. Oak Mount is within the Blackdown Hills National Landscape with some of the homes benefiting from views over uninterrupted countryside. The three and four-bedroom family homes are within walking distance to Hemyock village with local amenities on the doorstep, including a shop, pub, post office, a doctors’ surgery and pharmacy. “We wanted a house with four bedrooms, a garage, space for a home office, and an open plan kitchen with dining space for family mealtimes”, said John. “We looked through the different house types on the Cavanna Homes website and found one that ticked all our boxes – the ‘Hockinston’!”. The couple then booked to visit the Oak Mount Marketing Suite to find out more about buying with Cavanna Homes and to explore the area. John said: “As the development was still in its early stages, not all the homes had been built yet, so the Sales Advisor arranged for us to see the same house type at one of their developments in Exeter whilst we were down visiting. “We fell in love with the Hockinston and set the wheels in motion to reserve our brand-new family home at Oak Mount.” As a Carpenter, John was able to easily visualise how their finished home would look, but to put Phillipa’s mind at ease, the couple booked a second visit to Oak Mount to look around the newly opened ‘Hockinston’ show home. “We’d never reserved a home off plan before, so I was keen to visit the show home to see the build quality and layout of the house, and we weren’t disappointed”, said Phillipa. She was also able to envisage where she could create an office to enable her to comfortably work from home as a Travel Consultant. The idea of a new-build property enticed John and Phillipa because there would be no need for renovations or costly improvement works. New-build homes also have excellent energy performance ratings, making them cheaper to run than older properties. Every home at Oak Mount is built with greener living in mind and is installed with high-quality wall and loft insulation, double glazing and an air source heat pump, which provides a low carbon heating alternative to gas. “The Sales and Site team were great at introducing us to our air source heat pump, showing and advising us how to use it most efficiently,” said John. The family collected the keys to their new home on 26th July and moved in two days later. Finley and Imogen started at the local primary school in September; “We can do the school run in under 5 minutes with no need for a car, which is fantastic. It’s been a big change for the twins, but they’ve really embraced it and are settling in well”, said Phillipa. “We love our new home and we’re living out our countryside dream”, added John. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction work is continuing on hundreds of new homes and community facilities at Holloway Park, on the site of the former Holloway Prison in Islington. Peabody and its partners, including the Greater London Authority, the London Borough of Islington and London Square, gathered at the historic site on to see how the redevelopment has progressed since work first started in October last year. Holloway Park, which is set to welcome new residents from 2027, is being built in three phases and will deliver 985 homes in total. Of those, 415 will be for social rent and 178 for shared ownership – making 60 percent of the homes affordable. Most of the social homes will have two or three bedrooms, making them suitable for families, and there will also be 60 extra care one-bedroom homes and a sensory garden. The development will use air source heat pumps to heat the homes, and photovoltaic solar panels will provide some of the electricity. The ten-acre scheme will be home to a new 1.4-acre park, which will see the site and its mature greenery accessible to the public for the first time. Connected by a network of pedestrian paths, the development will also have parking facilities for up to 2,000 bicycles, commercial spaces, and a Women’s Building that will house support services tailored to the needs of women from the local community. Peabody has been working closely with Islington Council, former residents of the prison, and a range of groups to discuss the scope for the Women’s Building. A joint steering group, made up of Peabody, Islington Council and independent experts, has been set up to secure its long-term success. Work to select an operator will begin early next year. Not-for-profit housing association Peabody, which has 107,000 homes across London and the home counties, bought the Holloway Prison site in 2019 and was given planning permission for the homes and facilities by Islington Council last year. Except for the former visitor centre, which is currently being used as a site office, all the former prison buildings have been taken down and foundations have been laid for the first homes. To honour the rich legacy of the site, Peabody has commissioned a heritage plan that will seek to respectfully incorporate some of the old prison materials, including banisters and mirrors, in new artworks. 429 homes are being built in the first phase, including 215 social rent homes, as well as the Women’s Building and three-quarters of the new park. The construction of Holloway Park will provide 51 apprenticeships for local people, with aspirations for at least 30 percent to be women. An on-site ‘green skills’ hub will also deliver construction training programmes. Angela Wood, Deputy Executive Director of Development for Peabody, said: “We have a long history of providing affordable homes and community services in Islington, working alongside Islington Council and other partners. “Our plans for Holloway Park will provide nearly 1,000 much-needed homes, a significant percentage affordable, in a prime location with a range of new facilities. “While our plans are undoubtedly different to what’s been on the site before, we’re committed to honouring its history – not least in our preservation of the wonderful green spaces and trees that were such a striking feature of prison’s design. And we will continue to work with the community to ensure the Women’s Building delivers a fitting legacy.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Rotherham Council recently celebrated an important milestone towards achieving its aim to provide more affordable housing to the area. The completion of 12 homes at Harron Homes’ The Paddocks development in Wickersley marked the 500th home built and was celebrated by an event hosted at the development. Harron successfully put forward a bid to provide all 12 of the affordable homes to Rotherham Council. The 12 homes are made up of six rented units and six shared ownership homes which were purchased at a discount rate in line with Rotherham Council planning policy. Harron Homes’ Sales Manager Paul Walters welcomed Rotherham Council’s Deputy Leader Councillor Sarah Allen, and Assistant Director of Housing, James Clark to The Paddocks for the official handover of keys. The Council serves the residents of the city and surrounding areas. The affordable housing scheme is the latest in a series of measures to help families in the area find and maintain a home, with a target of acquiring hundreds of more homes by the end of March 2026. Councillor Sarah Allen said, “We are grateful to Harron homes for participating in the scheme and helping us reach this all-important milestone. Rotherham Council works to provide support for all those in our community and we are glad we can offer affordable housing to those who need it most. As a Council we have an important part to play in addressing the challenges faced and achieving better outcomes for the people of Rotherham.” Paul Walters added, “It was an honour to celebrate this important milestone with Councillor Allen and Mr Clark. Our teams dedicate themselves to delivering the highest quality in all areas and we are proud our homes can assist Rotherham Council in its goal of providing families with affordable housing. We look forward to continuing this relationship to support our local communities.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
