Work starts on first Manchester City Council homes in more than 20 years

Work starts this week on a £4.2m project to build 32 new council homes in north Manchester, the first in the city in more than 20 years.

The new homes in Charlestown and Higher Blackley, are specially designed purpose built bungalows for older residents and will help support the regeneration of the area as a whole.

They will be built on Sherwell Road, Plant Hill Road and Jurby Avenue in Higher Blackley and Benmore Road, Fulwood Avenue and Northwold Drive in Charlestown.

Building will begin on Jurby Avenue next week for 13 bungalows, with work beginning at all the remaining sites by the beginning of August.

The new homes will be joint funded by the government through the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), the national housing and regeneration agency for England, and from the Council's own resources.

The new generation of high quality, two bedroomed bungalows, designed by architects Bowker Sadler and built by The Cruden Group, are expected to be completed by March 2011.

They are specifically designed for older residents (60 plus), with two adapted for residents with special needs, and will include a number of innovative and energy efficient features including sustainable timber frames, rainwater harvesting, solar panels on the roofs, wheelchair access and easy upkeep features such as low maintenance floor and wall finishes.

Each home will be highly insulated and operate a heat recovery ventilation system as well as using sun pipe technology to naturally light the central hallway.

The bungalows will have a partition wall between the second bedroom and lounge allowing for varied use of the space as an extended lounge, dining room or bedroom. And future adaptations such as hoists will be possible without having to make structural alterations to the home, allowing residents to stay as independent as possible as they grow older.

The bungalow designs will also receive police approval for their security measures and will meet high environmental standards earning a four star rating under the government code that aims to reduce carbon emissions and create homes that are more sustainable.

Manchester City Council Leader, Sir Richard Leese, says: "This is great news for Manchester and is the first time in more than 20 years that we have built new council homes for our residents. These bungalows really are a new generation of council homes that will set the standard for future designs. It is part of a wider programme of transformation and investment across north Manchester that includes the provision of quality housing and benefits that will have a lasting impact for the whole community ensuring it is a popular place to live."

The homes will be designed to appeal to older residents who may currently be living in larger properties but would welcome a move to a smaller home. This in turn will free up larger homes for families.

The development ties in to the city's Valuing Older People strategy that aims to improve life for older people by making Manchester a place where they are more empowered, healthy and happy.

The homes will be owned by Manchester City Council and managed by Northwards Housing, the not for profit company that manages city council homes in north Manchester.

The building programme will also create a number of training and employment opportunities for local residents.

Stephen Morris, chairman of the Cruden Group Limited, says: "Cruden is delighted to have been selected as partner contractor on this landmark project, constructing the first new build homes for Manchester City Council since the 1980s. In the current tough and challenging economic climate, we look forward to creating local benefit through engaging with local people and businesses to recruit and train local labour with our supply chain partners."

Deborah McLaughlin, regional director of the Homes and Communities Agency, says: "We are pleased to be providing over £13m as part of our local authority new build programme in Manchester. This extra funding is helping the council to build much needed new homes for local people. Being able to support the building of such high quality and sustainable homes alongside the council is an important milestone for us. I'm sure the properties will be extremely popular."

The new generation of council homes are part of a wider Manchester City Council led regeneration programme in north Manchester that includes the development of more than 400 family homes in Moston and Harpurhey, the £9.4m refurbishment of a tower block for older people in Charlestown and successes such as North City and Cheetham shopping centres, The Manchester College sixth form in Harpurhey, Manchester Fort retail park and Central Business Park and the refurbishment or rebuild of every high school in the area.