Local Authority Building & Maintenance

Thakeham, one of the leading housebuilders in the south of England, has handed over 10 more homes at its Loxwood Fields development in Alfold, a village on the border of Surrey and West Sussex, to Abri. The latest milestone follows the handing over of the first 16 homes in the development at the beginning of August. Loxwood Fields is a development of 99 new one to four-bedroom homes which have been designed to seamlessly integrate into the local character of Alfold. Thakeham has partnered with Abri, a large housing provider who own and manage over 50,000 homes and assets, to deliver Loxwood Fields. The site is fully affordable thanks to Abri’s own funding and grant funding from Homes England, with 65 of the homes available to buy through shared ownership and 34 available for affordable rent. Read more: https://bit.ly/3MIBl0E #development #housing

One of the Midlands largest housing associations in partnership with one of the UK’s top house builders is set to deliver more than 300 energy efficient affordable homes in the Midlands. Platform Housing Group and Keepmoat Homes have joined forces to deliver the 319 homes as part of a bigger development on the former Boots site in Nottingham. Once completed, the homes at Trentside – which will be managed by the social landlord – will be all electric, with air source heat pumps and innovative solar electricity tech panels to generate energy, saving residents substantial monthly costs on running their homes. Read more: https://bit.ly/3TOIqkv #housing #gasfreehomes

The redevelopment of part of the former Odeon cinema on Laburnum Grove in North End was the focus of a visit from a group of Portsmouth City councillors yesterday. Leader Councillor Steve Pitt, together with local Nelson ward councillors, helped mark the progress that’s been made to date by laying a number of bricks on this brownfield site. The scheme is being delivered by leading affordable housing provider, VIVID, which is based in nearby Wharf Road, together with its development partner, Imperial Homes. Once completed, the scheme will feature 12 houses and 6 apartments. Read more: https://bit.ly/4e9QgN6 #affordablehomes #construction

Helping preserve Bristol’s cultural heritage, two of the city’s most iconic listed museums have undergone condition surveys to identify suitable maintenance programmes. The inspections of the Grade I-listed Red Lodge Museum, and the Grade II* listed Georgian House Museum, are part of an ongoing effort to preserve and enhance the city’s heritage sites, ensuring continued public use. Read more//bit.ly/3MxIXDl #maintenance #museum

Work has begun on a new affordable housing development in Stroud that will provide homes for more than 50 families. The development of houses and apartments on land off Dudbridge Hill is being built by housing association Bromford and its development partner Vistry Group. Groundworks began at the site in the spring and work is now progressing on the construction of the first of the homes. The development is due to be completed in phases with the first homes ready for customers to move into due to be ready in March 2025. Read more: https://bit.ly/4ebXdgB #affordablehomes #construction

Caledonia Housing Association has welcomed tenants to new homes in Brechin, Angus. The development at Brechin West was a collaboration with Angus Council and Scotia Homes to repurpose homes for social housing that were originally destined for the private market. This shift of focus was in response to the extreme flooding in Brechin in 2023 which resulted in many members of the community facing displacement which highlighted an urgent demand for additional social housing. Read more: https://bit.ly/4ecQZNu #newhomes #housing

A new housing development in Herefordshire has officially been completed. Middleton Avenue in Ross on Wye – which started on site in March 2022 – offers a range of housing types and sizes including accessible bungalows. The 44 homes – which have been constructed on a timber frame system – are made up of 17 for affordable rent and 27 shared ownership. Read more - https://bit.ly/4dUPEvi #housing #affordablehomes

A BRAND-NEW specialist school for pupils with Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs has completed in Shepshed, Leicestershire, offering facilities for students aged 4-16 from September 2024. Bowman Academy, which is situated on the former site of St Botolph’s Primary School, will see pupils benefit from a range of facilities to suit their needs. This includes classroom suites with vinyl areas to support practical learning, a sensory “dark room”, practical teaching spaces including a domestic kitchen, a library, a calming room, and a main hall with a demountable stage. Read more: https://bit.ly/3XpYKKC #newschool #SEMHschool

An interlinked fire and carbon monoxide alarm system played a vital role in saving the life of a tenant living in a social housing property in Scotland. Neighbours were alerted to the fire in Dalkeith, near Edinburgh, when home safety specialist Aico’s multi-sensor alarm was activated and began to sound. While the resident was initially unable to respond, neighbours who heard the alarms through the wall were able to wake them so they could get to safety. Read more: https://bit.ly/4e2J8SB #firealarm #housing #safety

Birmingham City Council has retrofitted around a quarter of the homes identified as part of an ambitious project to make council homes greener, warmer and more energy efficient. Around 550 homes have been improved so far as part of plans to retrofit over 2,000 properties by September 2025, part funded by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Read more - https://bit.ly/4cERoXW #homes #energyefficient