22 February 2010
Two Castles begins work on eco friendly affordable homes near Berwick
Two Castles Housing Association has begun work on a new site of affordable, sustainable homes at Norham, near Berwick.
The 25 properties will be available from January 2011 for rent and purchase and all meet the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 - the national standard for the sustainable design and construction of new homes. Two Castles Housing Association received a £1,550,000 grant from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) towards the scheme and the Association is working in partnership with Northumberland County Council on the development, which is being constructed by McInerney Homes.
20 homes at Norham will be available for rent, including six, two bedroom bungalows, six, two bedroom houses and eight, three bedroom houses. There will also be five homes available to buy.
Rob Brittain, property services director of Two Castles Housing Association, said: “There is a high demand for affordable housing in Berwick where many people are being forced to move out of the area due to the demand for holiday homes creating high prices in the marketplace.
“We are delighted to able to provide much needed affordable homes in this area and will be working closely with Northumberland County Council to identify local people who are in the greatest housing need to ensure they are given priority for the properties once they are completed.”
The 25 homes will include a number of eco-friendly features, including energy efficient solar panels to provide hot water. There will also be water butts to recycle rain water, rotary clothes dryers and external sheds with secure cycle storage.
Rob added: “Designed to meet excellent environmental standards, the homes will also have high levels of insulation and efficient heating methods, making them more cost effective for residents to run.”
Councillor Jim Smith, Northumberland County Council executive member for housing said: "This is a good project and one that the Council is really pleased to be part of. The Council identified a need for affordable housing in the Berwick area and these eco friendly homes are a step nearer to filling this need as well as being able to reduce carbon emissions. At a time when families are feeling the pinch because of the recession, a development of this kind will lower energy bills for future residents in these properties."
“This development will provide a real boost for Norham,” said Pat Ritchie, regional director of the Homes and Communities Agency. “It’s part of our affordable homes programme, which is already bringing positive change across Northumberland and the region as a whole.”
The Norham scheme is in addition to a large number of other projects currently being supported in the North East by the Homes and Communities Agency.
These include the Kickstart programme, which is investing £77 million to keep the region’s housing market moving, and is forecast to create over 1600 new homes. Meanwhile, a £22 million grant is helping local authorities to create over 400 new North East homes.
