An eyesore former bus depot in Richmond is to be transformed into a £2.9m affordable housing scheme for local people.
Broadacres, with investment from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) will start work in the next few weeks on the redevelopment of the old Arriva depot in Station Yard, next to the popular Station complex.
The current building will be demolished to allow work to start on the building of 24 high quality apartments on the site.
When the development is completed in the summer of 2014 it will provide 20 two-bedroom and four one-bedroom apartments for affordable rent. These will be allocated to local people in housing need.
The homes are being built to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 standard, which will make them very energy efficient. Residents will have their own parking space and have access to an outdoor communal area.
Fiona Coleman, Development Manager for Broadacres, said: “We are delighted to be starting work on the redevelopment of the former Arriva bus depot, which will create 24 much-needed affordable homes for local people. Due to being empty for a long time the bus depot has fallen into a state of disrepair, so by demolishing the building and replacing them with properties that will be sympathetic to the surrounding area, we will also be making a positive contribution to the overall environment.”
Speaking on behalf of people living in the cottages behind the bus station, Julie Ward said: “We are pleased the site is being brought back into meaningful use and that the new building will be sympathetic to the surrounding area, which is full of history.”
The total cost of the development is £2.9m, of which £792,000 is coming from the HCA, the national housing and regeneration agency for England.
Craig Johns, Area Manager at the HCA said: “There is an acute shortage of affordable local homes and it is excellent that our investment will help Broadacres provide these 24 new homes for rent. It is also great that a derelict building will be replaced by such an attractive scheme.”
Councillor Peter Wood, Richmondshire District Council Housing Spokesperson, said: "This is excellent news for Richmond - it will provide additional, much needed, affordable housing in the town at a time when housing need far outstrips affordable housing supply in our district.”