Doncaster residents will soon benefit from a £6.7 million investment to build new homes and regenerate part of the Willow Estate in Thorne.
Jephson Homes Housing Association has teamed up with Doncaster Council, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Ignite Homes to create 73 one, two and three-bedroom homes on a site that has been vacant for the past decade. It's the first scheme to benefit from the new Delivery Partner Panel.
They will be completed in two stages, with 42 finished by March 2015 and the remainder in 2016.
Stuart Shore, Jephson northern regional director, said: “We’re delighted to get started on this development of high-quality homes for local people. We’re very grateful to both Doncaster Council and the HCA for their support to make this exciting development possible. This is a key site for regeneration of the area and our plans have been very well received by residents given the high need for affordable housing in the area.”
Lisa Jones, Area manager at the Homes and Communities Agency said: “These 71 new homes will make a real difference to residents in Thorne and it is great to see what a difference our investment of £800,000 will make to the local community. Our partners in Doncaster council used our Delivery Partner Panel to not only save money but also reduce the amount of time it takes to appoint a developer for the site – the first local authority in the country to make use of the new panel.”
Peter Dale, director of regeneration and environment at Doncaster Council, added: "This scheme is fantastic news for families in Doncaster. Creating jobs, growth and housing are top priorities for the council. So we’re delighted to be working with Jephson Homes Housing Association, the HCA and Ignite Homes to regenerate this area of Thorne."
Paul Moore, director of Ignite Homes, believes the project will bring real benefits to the neighbourhood, adding: “This is the first scheme in the north of England to be built under the Homes and Communities Agency’s new partnership framework. It’s a great example of using public money to create homes and improve communities.”
Bobby Chakravarthy, associate partner for construction and property consultants, Arcus consulting, who worked on the development, added: “We’re thrilled to see this flagship project starting on site. Jephson Housing has committed to excellent design standards, which will improve residents’ quality of life of and add value to the local community.”
