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Westleigh's Partnership Homes division has recently begun work on the development of 80 new affordable family homes at Hallam Fields in Birstall. The joint venture between Westleigh and De Montfort Housing Society Ltd, part of the Waterloo Group, will see 77 two, three and four-bedroom houses and three one-bedroom apartments built on the development located just off the junction of the A6 and A46, to the north of Leicester. Work is anticipated to take 15 months to finish with the first property available within 12 months. All the homes will be built from timber frames, supplied by Westleigh’s Westframe factory in Enderby, alongside traditional construction methods. Once completed, 64 of these properties will be available for rent and the remaining 16 will be allocated for shared ownership. The project by Westleigh is part of the wider Hallam Fields development which commenced construction in 2006 and is expected to take 10 years to complete. The design has been influenced by places such as Poundbury in Dorset where the layout favours cyclists and pedestrians through a network of cycle ways and paths, with cars confined to thoughtfully considered access and residential roads designed to enhance safety. The project at Hallam Fields sees De Montfort Housing Society, which is based in Oadby, receiving £5.8 million of Social Housing Grant allocation - a central government subsidy from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The Chairman of the HCA, Sir Bob Kerslake, recently visited the site and met with staff from Westleigh and De Montfort Housing Society. He commented that “both parties should be applauded for their proactive approach in developing out the site in such challenging times.” Gary Turner, Head of Partnerships and Investments for Westleigh Developments, comments, “We are delighted to have started work at Hallam Fields, which we believe will prove a very popular development due to its location, forward thinking design and focus on family living. The project is an excellent example of our ability to secure high quality land for affordable housing.” Anthony Riley, Director of Business Development at Waterloo Housing Group, comments, “We are delighted to work with such a well respected local developer as Westleigh on this project as our partnership has such excellent experience of building affordable homes.” “Hallam Fields is an excellent site in terms of location and design and a great deal of thought has gone into the design, infrastructure and transport links. The new homes will give a wide range of residents the chance to live in a brand new home, close to local amenities, at affordable rents. Alternatively, they could part rent or part-buy their new home.” |
