More than £12m is being invested in North Tyneside by affordable housing provider Isos Housing as it delivers homes on a collection of key sites across the borough.
The Newcastle-based not-for-profit company is developing a total of 120 new homes on seven different sites, with more projects being considered for 2017.
Development and regeneration manager Lea Smith is working closely with North Tyneside Council to bring the sites forward, to help deliver the authority’s ambitious plans for new homes across the borough.
In a time of massive change for the housing association sector, Isos is adapting its approach to developing new homes, with less government grant available, but has said it is determined to keep delivering the affordable homes which the North East region badly needs.
For the seven sites in North Tyneside, five have benefited from grants funding from the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA), adding up to nearly £1.2m.
The sites in North Tyneside will be predominantly for affordable rent, but Isos is also pursuing sites to deliver shared ownership and ‘rent to buy’ homes.
Council and housing association homes are no longer allocated using waiting lists, but the Tyne and Wear Homes choice based lettings service currently has tens of thousands of registered users, showing the level of demand for affordable homes in urban areas of the North East.
The new homes will be a blend of different sizes and types, dependent on housing needs in the locality where developments are built.
The sites being developed are:
- Shiremoor 67 affordable homes on the Scaffold Hill site being developed by Bellway and Taylor Wimpey
- Wallsend 15 new homes on Blackhill Avenue
- Shiremoor 10 new homes at Earsdon View
- Wallsend 8 new homes on Church Bank
- Benton 8 new homes on Staiths Avenue
- Longbenton 6 family homes on West Farm Wynd
- North Shields 5 new homes at Balkwell Green
Total: 120 homes, with a total investment of £12m
Norma Redfearn, North Tyneside Elected Mayor, said: “North Tyneside is a great place to live which is one of the reasons that demand for lovely new homes – particularly affordable family homes, bungalows and one-bedroom properties – continues to rise here.
“With help from our partners, we made a commitment to build 3,000 affordable homes by 2024 and I am delighted Isos Housing is helping us to achieve our promise. We also continue to work with local communities to plan the developments.”
Michael Farr, executive director of development and regeneration at Isos Housing, said: “We are really glad to be working alongside North Tyneside Council to deliver so many new affordable homes for the area.
“It’s crucial for the local economy for households to have good quality homes, close to employment sites – and the construction phase for those homes also has a positive impact for local employment.
“Isos provides homes of all tenures, to suit individual needs, but we know that there are many families for whom an affordable rented home will always be the best option.
“For that reason, it’s crucial that we keep building more homes for rent, at a cost people can afford.”
Isos is also working on bringing forward more two sites in North Tyneside, to help meet continuing local demand for affordable homes.