The latest stage of work at the Mount Oswald site in Durham City is set to move forward after regional employer The Banks Group and housebuilder David Wilson Homes reached an agreement on phase two of its residential development.David Wilson Homes is looking to build 105 three and four bedroom properties on a 3.5-hectare piece of land on the western side of the site, which will be designed to help broaden the range of properties available at Mount Oswald.
The Newcastle-based housebuilder is currently working on phase one of the site, which has involved the construction of 60 detached four and five-bedroom homes on a 12-acre area at its southern end.
This development has proved very popular since being launched, with 13 properties sold within the fortnight alone and a number of families now living in their new homes.
If their phase two plans progress on schedule, David Wilson Homes is expecting to be on site by Spring next year.
A detailed layout of David Wilson Homes’ latest plans went on show as part of a public exhibition that the Banks Group held in Durham to introduce its wider, updated masterplan for the Mount Oswald site.
Banks has submitted an application to Durham County Council to amend its original layout in light of its experiences on working on the site over the last two years, which will include substantial new green spaces being opened up to the public in the centre of the site.
The update will see the number of large self-build plots in the central area reduced from sixteen to just five, with new links between the northern and southern areas of the site being created through the established parkland that sits in that location.
The overall number of homes at Mount Oswald will remain the same as previously approved, but reducing the number of large one acre plots has allowed the central area to be opened up to create a public park and better connectivity between the northern and southern housing areas while still allowing homes to be built along the western edge.
Neil Milburn, land director at David Wilson Homes, says: “Mount Oswald is one of the finest new homes developments in the North East, and we expect the strong demand that we have seen for properties in our first phase to be replicated in this second tranche.
“The properties we’re looking to build next year are designed to broaden the profile of homes that are available on the Mount Oswald site, and we’re sure there will be a lot of interest in what we’re planning at the forthcoming exhibition.
“Our partnership with The Banks Group has worked well, and the infrastructure that they have put in place will enable us to move quickly once we’re on site, which we hope will be in the first few months of 2016.”
John Ruddick, senior property development manager at The Banks Group, adds: “David Wilson Homes has already created one high quality residential development at Mount Oswald, and its plans for phase two will extend the range of options available to homebuyers who want to move to this exceptional development.
“Our vision for Mount Oswald as an outstanding, high quality, low density, sustainable new neighbourhood of families and students with a green setting and infrastructure is being realised, and it’s great to see people now making their homes on the site.
“As with any major development of this type, the experience of making planning proposals a reality unearths a number of new opportunities to enhance what’s on site.
For further information on the Mount Oswald development, please visit www.banksgroup.co.uk/mount-
