ODPM Minister Baroness Andrews announced a new partnership between the Oldham Rochdale Pathfinder and developers Barattt Artisan, to regenerate an old mill site and provide high quality new homes for local residents.
The development is part of the Pathfinder's £53 million plan to tackle the blight caused by collapsing housing demand, and provide for the future housing needs of the community. The 80 homes will be built featuring solar water heating, green roofs to support wildlife, and a landscaped embankment fronting the River Roch.
It will also be possible to move individual walls to change the shape of rooms.
Part of the site from the old Croydon General Hospital in West Croydon will be developed later this year through a partnership formed by Metropolitan Housing Trust (MHT) and Croydon Voluntary Action (CVA).
The scheme adopts many ZED principles, featuring super-insulated structures and renewable energy systems including solar panels, wind turbines, biomass heating, and wind powered heat recovery. It is intended that over 40% of the energy needs of the building will be generated on site from renewable sources.
On the upper floors, there will be sixteen one and two bedroom flats, to be owned and managed by MHT - providing a mixture of social rented and shared ownership accommodation.
The scheme will also provide a Healthy Resource Centre, meeting rooms, community offices, a community café, crèche, counselling rooms, and other much needed facilities for local people. The centre will be owned and managed by CVA.
Your Homes Newcastle published plans for its Cruddas Park Estate, which could see solar panels installed on the side of high-rise blocks. With the intention of leading the way in sustainable social housing by establishing an entirely green estate, the proposed improvements include wind turbines on the roofs of all buildings.
Work started at The Laurels in Lightmoor Village, Telford - where Bournville Village Trust have appointed Persimmon Homes to develop 40 houses. Of the two, three, and four-bedroom homes, 30 will be sold by Persimmon Homes; the remaining 10 will be available to rent from the Trust.
SHAL Housing officially opened Acorn House. The block of six flats in Bridgwater comprises three one-bed and three two-bed flats, with a communal cleaning and garden service provided. The flats are highly insulated for low running costs and to limit sound transmission.
Lovell started work on a £1.7 million development in Andover, working in partnership with Sarsen HA and Testway Housing - both members of the Aster Group. The 40-week scheme will create 17 one and two-bedroom apartments for affordable rent. All the properties are timber-framed and will achieve a good rating on the EcoHomes assessment scale.
Dominion HG obtained planning permission to build a 20-storey block of flats in Stratford – the centre of the Olympic regeneration area. The block will provide social housing for rent and shared ownership accommodation, include a concierge scheme, and integrate with a green transport strategy.