Bolsover District Council and Robert Woodhead Ltd are celebrating their two year anniversary since signing the Partnership Agreement. The ambitious “Bolsover Homes” new build programme aims to deliver up to 400 much-needed homes across the district of Bolsover over the four-year period. The Bolsover Homes scheme comes off the back of the B@Home scheme, the partnerships first venture which delivered a total of 103 homes in the four- year contract. Bolsover Homes began at Longcroft View on 12th October 2020 and to date has handed over 37 homes with 89 currently in construction or under contract.
This year, the innovative ‘Future Homes’ scheme began in the Woodlands, Whaley Thorns to provide 19 entirely electric houses which will meet 2025 building standards, today. These homes are the first in the contractors’ pilot scheme which will be constructed up to 20% quicker than traditional house builds due to their timber frames and are designed to achieve 80% less carbon emissions than current building regulations allow.
Efficiency is a key driver of the scheme; for example, Bolsover Homes have an average EPC rating of 83 (B), in comparison to the East Midlands average of 66 (D). The partnership has also strived to improve with the innovation of solar street lights at the Sandy Lane site in Whitwell.
The partnership has already been shortlisted for three awards; the Best Integration and Collaboration award at the CE East Midlands 2022 and the Best Public / Private Partnership and Best Housing Initiative for the APSE Awards 2022.
Bolsover District Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Sandra Peake said, “We are delighted with how the partnership is working to date and the progress we have made. Providing good quality modern council properties in areas that need them is a top priority for us and it has been great visiting all the finished properties to hear how much the new tenants like them.
“We believe the properties that we are building with Robert Woodheads are better than most private developers as we take the care and attention required and ensure the finished project is what people expect from the Council and that’s why they are so popular.”
In the first 12 months, Robert Woodhead Ltd contributed the social value of having worked with 672 local students, provided four work experience placements, created five new jobs and welcomed three apprentices.
Now, the contractors have engaged 1,131 young people, 32 NEET students, held or supported 66 training events, 19 careers events, offered 21 work experience placements, created six jobs and six apprenticeships.
For every £1 spent on Bolsover Homes, an average of £2.62 has been returned to the local economy in social, economic and environmental value.
Other social value contributions include the donation of a defibrillator to the Whitwell community as well as the relaying of the Whitwell Football Club car park whilst working on the Sandy Lane site, and the regular collaboration with Bolsover TV to maintain communication with the local community.
Councillor Peake added, “And with the added social value elements included within the contract we are also helping local businesses, young people with their education and creating jobs for local people.”
The partnership has focused on local spend, with 83% of spend with 20 miles of each site re-invested back into the local economy, sustaining local jobs for local people.
The partnership looks forward to the next half of Bolsover Homes, helping more tenants move into exceptionally high quality homes.