Work officially commences on England's first large-scale zero carbon development at Hanham Hall near Bristol.
This follows completion of the formal contractual commitments and planning permissions between the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), Barratt Developments and South Gloucestershire Council.
Plans for the site include 195 homes that will conform to the highest level of the Code for Sustainable Homes and a range of shops and offices that will offer employment opportunities for the community. The homes will use energy and water efficiently, as well as minimising waste and carbon emissions.
The development will be the first created as part of the Government's Carbon Challenge initiative. This aims to help the housebuilding industry fast track a number of developments that significantly:
Recently, the innovative nature of the project was recognised with £0.8 million additional funding from the Government's low carbon infrastructure initiative to provide an extension of the heat network from the onsite biomass CHP plant. This will be key to making the homes zero carbon and also introduce the additional advantage of taking waste heat to neighbouring community buildings.
Allotment gardens and greenhouses will be provided to encourage residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables and a farm shop will offer a range of locally sourced products. Existing hedgerows, meadows and orchards will be retained and extended, and some of the heritage buildings will be adapted for community use - including a nursery and a cafe for residents and visitors.
Barratt Developments will be responsible for the preservation and restoration of the listed hospital building and for the conservation of green spaces that surround it. Additionally a Residents' Trust will be established to oversee the ongoing maintenance and care of the whole site.
The first homes in the development are due for completion in 2010.
The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) announced a further tranche of schemes to receive funding through the first round of its Kickstart programme. The national housing and regeneration agency confirmed funding that will unlock a further 3,688 homes in 45 schemes with investment totalling more than £153 million.
The announcement brings to an end the process of allocating funding under Round 1 of the programme that has seen investment totalling £359.9 million across 136 schemes nationally, unlocking a total of 10,281 new homes.
A further 20 schemes have been approved subject to conditions and these will be concluded between now and the end of the year.
Of the 270 schemes originally shortlisted, 32 schemes did not meet funding conditions; 82 schemes were withdrawn, 47 of which have been submitted in to Kickstart Round 2.
Information Notes
In the April 2009 Budget, £400 million was allocated to the HCA to unlock stalled housing schemes through the Kickstart Programme. A further £660 million was allocated through the Prime Minister's Building Britain's Future in June 2009, creating a total package of £1.06 billion.
It was announced in July that more than 270 schemes - seeking over £900 million in funding and with the potential to deliver up to 22,400 homes - had been shortlisted for the first round of Kickstart funding. Bids were received from a range of developers, including national and local house builders and housing associations, across all the English regions.
Gateshead Council
Hundreds of terraced homes in Gateshead could soon be returned to looking the way they did when they were built almost a century ago.
Gateshead Council is seeking planning permission to carry out major improvements to around 200 homes in the Bensham area. The works would radically improve their appearance and would include new front doors and windows, new door steps and footpaths, and repair and painting of external stonework. New front boundary walls, fences and gates are also to be installed.
The proposals form part of a wider regeneration of the Bensham and Saltwell area, which has already seen substantial new investment in existing properties, new housing, environmental improvements and better services.
The improvements are being jointly funded by Gateshead Council and Bridging NewcastleGateshead, the Government's Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder, and require homeowners and landlords to fund only 20% of the cost of the work.
To qualify for this grant aid, private landlords are also required to carry out additional improvement works to their properties to bring them up to a higher standard and to demonstrate that they are managing their property and tenancy properly.
__________
L&Q Housing Group
Durkan Limited has been awarded the £28.5 million construction contract by L&Q Housing Group to provide a 207 unit development in East London.
The redevelopment of the Kingsland Basin site near Regent's Canal in Hackney begins in Spring 2010. It will involve the demolition of existing buildings and the design and build of five blocks rising up to five storeys.
The new scheme, designed by JCMT Architects, will provide dwellings for rent, shared ownership and private sale and will achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4.
Additional commercial space will be formed through the restoration, conversion and alterations to the existing Grade II listed buildings around the site.
The project will include underground car parking and space for 233 bicycles. Durkan will also undertake the associated landscaping, paving and redevelopment of the canal-side frontage which will include a footbridge and children's play area.
To ensure disruption is kept to a minimum, Durkan will closely liaise with canal boat occupiers who will remain residents on the basin throughout the duration of the project.
The construction will be carried out in a number of sections and is likely to be completed late 2012.
__________
Leicester City Council
The Council has agreed to sell four plots of land for £1 each to build 134 new homes in the next 18 months. Housing associations who buy the areas can then apply for part of £750 million of Government funding to build affordable properties.
Under the agreement, housing associations buy 30% of the area for the knock-down price, while the remaining 70% would be sold at market rates.
Impending funding deadlines mean the Council has to agree the terms of sales for the areas before the end of November. Funding from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) can only be used for houses which will be completed before March 2011.
If the associations do not secure funding from the HCA, the £1 sale agreements will not go ahead. Planning permission has not yet been granted, but the sites are suitable for housing.
People waiting on the council house register could be nominated for some of the new homes.