A FIRST affordable housing scheme in part of Northumberland for more than a decade has been opened by a county MP.
Ladywell Place at Tweedmouth in Berwick, said by its creators to be the first development of affordable family housing in North Northumberland since the mid 1990s, was officially unveiled by town Liberal Democrat MP Sir Alan Beith yesterday.
The scheme has provided 21 homes which are a mix of bungalows and two and three-bedroom houses, and a combination of shared ownership and affordable rent.
The properties are owned and managed by Four Housing Group (FHG), the parent company of Berwick Borough Housing, in partnership with Northumberland County Council. They were designed by Fitz Architects in partnership with FHG, and developed by Galliford Try Partnerships North.
It has been funded with £1.239m from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
The homes are the first in the area to reach Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which assesses buildings against sustainability factors such as CO2 emissions, water use and waste. The properties are insulated, with efficient gas boilers and solar photovoltaic panels.
They have drainage design which will help reduce excess water run off by discharging directly into the Tweed estuary at times, a scheme supported by the council and Northumbrian Water.
Speaking after the opening, Sir Alan said: “I was delighted to be able to open the scheme of 21 houses.
“Delighted because we need rented and shared ownership housing in Berwick, there is an urgent need, and delighted because these are highly efficient houses and those are two causes I am very committed to.”
Martin Knowles, chief executive of FHG, said at the opening: “We absolutely welcome what we hope will become the blueprint for future developments and our aim is that Ladywell Place will be the first of many housing ventures to come.
“Not only does it enable our residents to be able to afford to live where they want to, we’ve taken into account that these homes also need to be sustainable, and are extremely proud that they reach Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.”
Coun Tom Brechany, executive member for housing at the council, added: “This development of new homes is very good news for local people wishing to rent a home, or get a foot on the housing ladder.
“We look forward to seeing the homes fully occupied and are sure that the renewable energy features will make them both comfortable and affordable to live in.”
Local resident Kizzy Oliver and her partner Kai Patterson have part-purchased one of the homes and will be moving in with one-year-old daughter Maxie later this month.
Kizzy said: “It’s not easy for young families to get on the property ladder and this was perfect for us.
“The houses are ideal for our needs and it’s an affordable way for us to stay in Berwick.”
