• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

North East Connected

Hopping Across The North East From Hub To Hub

Work on new affordable housing scheme finally gets underway

CaptureDemolition work has finally started to make way for a brand new affordable housing development of 37 homes at Pelton in County Durham.

The £3.5m scheme, which is being built by Chester-le-Street housing provider Cestria Community Housing, part of the Isos Group, will include 21 two-bedroom bungalows and 16 two-bedroom semi-detached homes for rent.

Plans were approved by Durham County Council’s planning committee last January and work to demolish the existing 36 empty bungalows that currently stand on the 1.3 hectare ‘The Garth’ site began in March 2015.  However, just two weeks into the demolition, the contractor originally appointed to build the scheme was placed into administration and work was put on hold until a new contractor was appointed.

Work on the Jane Darbyshire and David Kendall (JDDK) Ltd-designed scheme has just restarted on site this week and is being delivered by housing and community regeneration specialist Keepmoat. To officially mark the start of the development works, Coun Jim Cordon who represents the Pelton Ward on Durham County Council, joined development executives from Cestria Community Housing and Keepmoat to cut the first sod.

Access to the new properties will be from Vicarage Close or Elwin Place and each energy efficient home has been designed to meet the Government’s Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3. The homes will include energy efficient features such as improved insulation in walls, windows and the roof, recycling waste management measures and energy efficient heating systems.

Martin Warhurst, managing director of Cestria Community Housing, said, “I am pleased to see that construction work has re-commenced on site, after delays outside our control. Now we can look forward to seeing these new homes being built.  This development becomes our fifth brand new housing scheme across the district and will help to meet the needs and demands of the area’s elderly population by replacing poor outdated vacant homes with high quality modern bungalows and homes and we hope it will lift the area once it has been built.”

Cllr. Jim Cordon commented: “We have been waiting for this development to happen for a long time and I am just pleased that we are finally there. This development will not only meet the needs of local people across the district but also our local community here in Pelton.”

Lee Francis, area director for Keepmoat in the North East said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Cestria to finally deliver this much-needed new scheme for the people of Durham.  As with all of our projects, we will be looking at ways of investing in the wider area and supporting new and existing members of the community.”

The architects for ‘Vicarage and The Garth’ are Jane Darbyshire and David Kendall (JDDK) Ltd.  Nicky Watson, JDDK Director, added: “We are delighted to be working with Cestria to deliver this exciting development. The scheme will not only help to meet the needs and demands of the area’s elderly population by replacing outdated homes with high quality, fully accessible modern homes designed to create a supportive and community focused environment, but also provide contemporary family housing on the south side of the site.”
The scheme is expected to be completed in Spring 2017.

By admin