Work officially started this month on a City of Lincoln Council scheme to build 20 new bungalows in Birchwood. The new homes, which will be constructed by Woodhead Living on land formerly occupied by garages, will help the council meet a growing demand for bungalows in the area.
Last year, the council’s Executive agreed to earmark £15 million to build 150 new council homes in the city over the next six years. The scheme has begun with the first five bungalows in Eastleigh Close, and will also include:
• Eight bungalows on two sites off Camwood Crescent
• Three bungalows off Whitehorn Grove
• Four bungalows off Clematis Approach
Councillor Pete West, Portfolio Holder for Housing at the city council, said: “These are valuable additional homes that will meet some of the very high demand we have for all types of housing. We have limited land available but we are doing what we can to supply quality housing where and when we are able. “Our house building programme is a hugely important initiative given that nearly 3,000 people are registered on our council house waiting list, showing the urgent need for more affordable homes.
“A good home is essential to people’s health and wellbeing, which is why increasing the supply of affordable homes is one of the council’s top priorities.
“We’ll be looking to achieve the highest level of energy efficiency for new homes to keep costs down for tenants.”
The properties will all be built by Woodhead Living using a ‘fabric-first’ approach, which means the team will be able to improve energy efficiency, and reduce the new homes’ carbon emissions. The construction process will involve using an air tight and highly insulated fabric to reduce heating requirements and ensure energy bills are kept as low as possible. This approach will also enable the bungalows to achieve an impressive “B” Energy Performance Certificate rating.
Michael Broadhurst, Project Coordinator for Woodhead Living, said: “We’re delighted to have been awarded the contract for the Birchwood bungalow scheme. It’s great to be able to integrate the scheme into the existing community by developing the infill sites in partnership with City of Lincoln Council.
“We know how important bungalows are to meet the local need, and appreciate what these properties will be able to offer local residents. The fact that we are also able to use smart and sustainable construction methods to tackle fuel poverty is rewarding and the city council should be commended for its forward thinking.”
The project is due for completion in March 2016 and was procured through the East Midlands Property Alliance (empa ii) Minor Works Framework.
empa ii aims to improve the efficiency of procurement and delivery of construction and property maintenance projects for public sector bodies.
Alan Coole, Head of EMPA, said: “Helping local authorities bring affordable housing to communities is just one of the many success stories of the empa framework. Construction projects like this one can be completed faster through our procurement route meaning that people who are waiting for bungalows like these will be able to settle into their new homes much sooner.”