Two Castles Housing Association is continuing its commitment to providing affordable homes for those in the greatest housing need, after work started on a new £1.4 million scheme in Harraby, Carlisle.
The development which is being built in partnership with developers Cubby Construction will see the former St Elizabeth’s Church Hall on Mayfield Avenue demolished and replaced with 11 high quality affordable homes to rent.
Part-funded by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) with support from Carlisle City Council and St Elizabeth’s Church, the energy efficient scheme is being built to Level Three of the Code for Sustainable Homes Standards and will include nine three-bedroom and two four-bedroom properties.
Rob Brittain, property services director at Two Castles Housing Association, said:
“We’re delighted that construction work is underway on what will be an important new affordable housing development in Harraby. There continues to be a real need for quality housing to rent across Carlisle and at Two Castles, we’re committed to working with our partners for delivering a range of relevant high quality affordable homes that meet the needs of local people and their families.
“We hope that this scheme will not only benefit those in the greatest housing need, but will also help to transform a former under-used site and bring it back into community life.”
The development, which is expected to be completed by July 2013, will also include a range of energy-efficient features such as photovoltaic panels to convert sunlight into electricity, which will help to make each individual home even more affordable by reducing overall energy bills for tenants.
Paul Atkinson, Project Manager at Cubby Construction, said: “We’re once again delighted to be partnering Two Castles on what will be an important affordable housing development in Harraby. As a local employer this development gives us a fantastic opportunity to utilise quality tradesman from the area and build a quality product that meets lifetime home standards.”
Cllr Jessica Riddle, Portfolio holder for Culture, Health, Leisure & Young People, said: “We’re delighted that work is underway on this fantastic new housing development in Harraby. The scheme provides much-needed affordable housing for local residents, and the provision of homes suited to young families is great news for the community of Harraby. Looking forward, we will continue to work with Two Castles to deliver more high-quality affordable homes for the residents of Carlisle.”