Work starts on more than 30 affordable council homes
Work has started on the development of disused land which will see the construction of more than 30 new council houses as part of a programme to deliver 500 affordable properties for residents.
The Portland Avenue Housing Development Scheme in Seaham, is part of a much larger site which was included in a joint venture partnership between Durham County Council and Homes England, focused on bringing forward a comprehensive development in the area.
It is hoped the 33 new properties will address the high demand for homes in the town while bolstering the number of affordable houses being constructed across the county. All the properties will be highly energy efficient, achieving an EPC A rating to help cut bills.
Benefitting from a grant from the government’s Affordable Homes Programme, the houses are being developed by constructor T Manners & Sons, based in Bishop Auckland.
The land was the site of a residential development in the late 1980s and early 1990s but has since been cleared and is currently public open space.
Cllr Joe Quinn, Durham County Council Cabinet member for resources, investments and assets, said: “We’re happy to see that work is now taking place on this vacant site with the construction of these 33 affordable houses.
“We’re aware that affordable properties are in high demand across the county and hope that this work demonstrates our commitment to meeting that demand. This is just the first development of many that will boost our affordable provisions.”
After having not owned council houses since the disposal of its stock in 2015, the local authority is now planning to build 500 affordable properties over a five-year period and is working with T Manners & Sons to achieve this aim.
The mixture of bungalows and houses will be managed by the council and will be built across the county on land that it already owns. The authority hopes the first properties will be completed by the end of 2026.
Simon Manners, managing director of T Manners & Sons Ltd, said: “We’re delighted to be working on this important project with Durham County Council.
“Start on site for this scheme, as part of the council’s programme to build 500 new homes, is the culmination of over 12 months of work, securing planning approval and working with the council’s project team, to design these high-quality homes.
“Since becoming the council’s delivery partner for this new build programme, the entire T Manners team has been eager to get the first scheme on site, to demonstrate the high quality and partnership working approach that embodies the company.”
Find more information on the delivery of affordable council housing, visit www.durham.gov.uk/CouncilHousing.
