Posted 10.01.13
A huge regeneration project for Manchester's Brunswick Estate has taken another leap forward after Manchester City Council chose a preferred partner to deliver the ambitious plans.
Solutions 4 Brunswick (S4B) has been created specifically to drive the £113 million regeneration scheme, which will start once planning permission has been agreed later in the year.
The 25-year regeneration project will bring large investment to an area that has seen development postponed for several years, but this decision opens the door for plans to be finalised.
Brunswick's regeneration plans will include:
S4B is made up of four specialist organisations that will work together to inject their own skills and expertise in different areas:
As part of the regeneration plans for the area, S4B will also offer a wide range of opportunities for residents and locals. These include jobs, apprenticeships and training opportunities, as well as work experience and the prospect of working with community groups in the area.
In the coming months, S4B will continue to consult with residents while preparing and submitting a planning application for the development, before the Government consider the plans for approval in spring.
Major Investment Unlocks Development of Bristol Harbourside
Posted 21.01.13
Builders are to return to Bristol Harbourside to begin developing nearly 200 homes, following a £12 million investment from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to unlock the vital first phase of the project.
The HCA has agreed to invest in Wapping Wharf near the City Centre, supporting the delivery of 194 new and affordable homes, retail space, a pedestrian and cycle route and a public square on the site.
The agreement will see developer Umberslade start work on the development in March, with completion of the first phase expected in 2015.
The overall project has the potential to deliver 625 apartments, a new hotel and 250,000 sq ft of retail and office space, but development has stalled during the last five years because of a lack of available loan finance to support the project.
Partners involved in the project include Sovereign Housing Group and Knightstone Housing Association, who will manage 81 of the rented apartments once built.
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Sovereign to Provide Affordable homes at Flagship Zero-carbon Development
Posted 22.01.13
Sovereign Housing Association will provide 61 affordable homes at Hanham Hall, in South Gloucestershire, one of the Country's most important new zero-carbon developments.
Sovereign has signed a contract with Barratt Homes to take the affordable homes at the new community. These will consist of 54 general needs rental properties, eight of which will be wheelchair accessible, and seven shared ownership homes.
The first Sovereign properties, a mixture of two- and three-bedroom homes, are expected to be occupied by March 2013.
Hanham Hall, which is owned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and is being built by Barratt Homes, will be made up of 185 eco-homes. These properties are super-insulated timber-frame buildings that have been built to meet the highest energy efficiency standards.
Features include high levels of insulation, mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) (which expels stale air and brings in fresh air), water recycling systems and alternative sources of energy such as photovoltaic solar panels.
