We’re spending £5million to build modern, energy efficient homes
Published: Thursday, 11 March, 2021
Work has begun on the next phase of Stroud District Council’s plan to build new homes for affordable rent and shared ownership in Nailsworth, Minchinhampton and Eastington.
Thirty-six homes will be built across three sites at a cost of £5.3million, of which eleven will be for older people. They will be energy efficient, flexible and adaptable, enabling people to live in their homes as independently as possible for as long as possible. More than 90% of material from the old properties will be reused or recycled - masonry will be crushed on site and used for constructing the foundations and roads. Metal, wood, plastic and glass will be removed and recycled at a sorting depot.
The work is part of Stroud District Council’s New Council Homes programme, and demonstrates the council’s ongoing commitment to the delivery of much needed affordable homes across the district:
- Ringfield Close, Nailsworth Work has started to build 20 homes on the site of a former sheltered housing scheme, with an anticipated completion date of December 2021.
- Summersfield Road, Minchinhampton Seven homes will be built, starting in March with an anticipated completion date of September 2021.
- Broadfield Road, Eastington Nine bungalows for older people will be built, starting in March with an anticipated completion date of October 2021.
Cllr Mattie Ross, Chair of Stroud District Council’s Housing Committee said:
“Affordable housing is a key priority for the Stroud District Council and these homes demonstrate our ongoing commitment to positively contributing to the provision of affordable, good quality homes that meet current and future needs. “
Beard Construction has been appointed as the contractor, with Kendall Kingscott acting as Employer’s Agent, Clerk of Works and Principal Designer.
Marc Bayley, Swindon Director at Beard, said:
“At Beard we believe in creating buildings which are spaces for living, working, playing, and connecting. There are few things more important than the space where you live, particularly in these changed times where we’re all spending more time at home than ever. As such it’s a great responsibility to ensure these 36 buildings are homes for people to feel comfortable and secure in. A key feature for us, as a business with a real focus on reducing environmental impact, is the energy efficient design of the homes. This is an important development for Stroud District Council and we’re proud to lead on the construction work across the three sites with much more to come over the next two years.”
Chris Kemp, Senior Building Surveyor at Kendall Kingscott Ltd added:
"The three schemes represent a great opportunity for the creative re-use of Stroud District Council’s land to provide new housing within the region. Kendall Kingscott is looking forward to working with the project team to deliver a high quality long term sustainable development."
Stroud District Council’s Strategy for New Council Homes sets out a detailed specification for building new council homes that addresses energy efficiency, good space standards, flexibility, adaptability and safety. The specification takes into account the council’s commitment for the entire district to achieve Carbon Neutral status by 2030, and the three schemes will deliver a minimum 27% reduction on carbon emissions from current building regulations and a minimum EPC rating of B with a `fabric first’ approach and the installation of heat pumps and solar PV panels.
Stroud District Council is the only local authority in Gloucestershire which still owns and manages council houses, with the others having transferred them into other social housing organisations.
A total of 239 homes were built by Stroud District Council for its own stock between 2014 and 2019. As Stroud district’s population of 118,130 is predicted to grow to 136,000 by 2041 these homes are part of an action plan to build 111 more by 2022/23 to address the rising population.