23 March 2010
Housing Minister visits Thurnscoe’s £90m housing-led regeneration programme
HOUSING Minister John Healey visited Thurnscoe this week as a deal was signed for a £90m housing led regeneration programme for an area known as the Reema estate.
Over the next 15 to 18 years approximately 875 new homes will be developed, with around 193 for rent or shared ownership.
The first phase of the project will begin in the summer, creating 161 properties with 55 being social rented homes including bungalows and two, three and four bedroom family houses.
The partners behind this ambitious project are Barnsley Council, Keepmoat Homes, Chevin Housing Group, Berneslai Homes, architects Watson Batty and the SLR environmental consultancy. The scheme is also supported by the Homes and Communities Agency and Transform South Yorkshire.
As well as providing new housing, the project will also provide investment, employment and training opportunities for local businesses and residents.
Mr Healey was given a presentation about the project and met some of the key stakeholders including social housing partners, councillors and community representatives.
He also talked with Community Wardens and local residents.
Mr Healey said: “It was great to see this contract signed – it is a milestone for Thurnscoe and fantastic news for local residents, who have had to live with housing that no longer meets their needs. Thanks to an extra £2.4m investment from Government, we are able to get work moving. Diggers will arrive on site in weeks and the first new homes will be ready within a year.
“This is a tribute to the determination of Barnsley Council and its partners to deliver significant regeneration and homes that residents have helped design. It also means more new jobs, and 600 local traders have been invited to an ‘open day’ with the developers this week to see how they can benefit.
“The Government is determined to support local communities, particularly in tough economic times, and in Barnsley we're investing £52m over the 2008/11 period to build 1300 new and affordable homes.”
Mayor of Barnsley, Cllr John Parkinson, said: “I am immensely proud that Barnsley Council has secured this major partnership with Keepmoat Homes in the midst of the current economic climate as it shows that we are continuing to stay ahead of the game for the benefit of Barnsley people.
“Thurnscoe has a rich heritage, some fantastic countryside and with significant investment like this, it has a promising future. I believe that this scheme will help to support the Thurnscoe village by offering high quality homes, for local people to stay and also encourage new residents to come to this area to invest in the community."
David Curtis, regional director of the Homes and Communities Agency for Yorkshire and Humber said “We are pleased that our grant of £2.4 million will help provide 45 new homes for rent. The 10 low cost home ownership properties will also allow local families to become property owners.
“Our funding will ensure that these houses will be ebuilt to level four of the code for sustainable homes meaning that they are very energy efficient not only helping people to save money but also to reduce their carbon footprint.”
David Ward, Managing Director with Keepmoat Homes Yorkshire said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to become involved with this project and are very excited about helping to regenerate this part of Thurnscoe.
“In addition to building affordable homes, predominantly for local first and second time buyers and properties for rent and shared ownership, we will be looking to deliver training and job opportunities for local people. We also want to work with community organisations to help develop pride in their new neighbourhood.
“Keepmoat Homes already has a successful track record of regeneration in Barnsley with the Allegro Court development at Grimethorpe and at Tanglewood Court and Cypress Road, Kendray. We are confident that, working with our partners, we can make this project equally successful.”
Housing Minister visits Thurnscoe’s £90m housing-led regeneration programme
HOUSING Minister John Healey visited Thurnscoe this week as a deal was signed for a £90m housing led regeneration programme for an area known as the Reema estate.
Over the next 15 to 18 years approximately 875 new homes will be developed, with around 193 for rent or shared ownership.
The first phase of the project will begin in the summer, creating 161 properties with 55 being social rented homes including bungalows and two, three and four bedroom family houses.
The partners behind this ambitious project are Barnsley Council, Keepmoat Homes, Chevin Housing Group, Berneslai Homes, architects Watson Batty and the SLR environmental consultancy. The scheme is also supported by the Homes and Communities Agency and Transform South Yorkshire.
As well as providing new housing, the project will also provide investment, employment and training opportunities for local businesses and residents.
Mr Healey was given a presentation about the project and met some of the key stakeholders including social housing partners, councillors and community representatives.
He also talked with Community Wardens and local residents.
Mr Healey said: “It was great to see this contract signed – it is a milestone for Thurnscoe and fantastic news for local residents, who have had to live with housing that no longer meets their needs. Thanks to an extra £2.4m investment from Government, we are able to get work moving. Diggers will arrive on site in weeks and the first new homes will be ready within a year.
“This is a tribute to the determination of Barnsley Council and its partners to deliver significant regeneration and homes that residents have helped design. It also means more new jobs, and 600 local traders have been invited to an ‘open day’ with the developers this week to see how they can benefit.
“The Government is determined to support local communities, particularly in tough economic times, and in Barnsley we're investing £52m over the 2008/11 period to build 1300 new and affordable homes.”
Mayor of Barnsley, Cllr John Parkinson, said: “I am immensely proud that Barnsley Council has secured this major partnership with Keepmoat Homes in the midst of the current economic climate as it shows that we are continuing to stay ahead of the game for the benefit of Barnsley people.
“Thurnscoe has a rich heritage, some fantastic countryside and with significant investment like this, it has a promising future. I believe that this scheme will help to support the Thurnscoe village by offering high quality homes, for local people to stay and also encourage new residents to come to this area to invest in the community."
David Curtis, regional director of the Homes and Communities Agency for Yorkshire and Humber said “We are pleased that our grant of £2.4 million will help provide 45 new homes for rent. The 10 low cost home ownership properties will also allow local families to become property owners.
“Our funding will ensure that these houses will be ebuilt to level four of the code for sustainable homes meaning that they are very energy efficient not only helping people to save money but also to reduce their carbon footprint.”
David Ward, Managing Director with Keepmoat Homes Yorkshire said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to become involved with this project and are very excited about helping to regenerate this part of Thurnscoe.
“In addition to building affordable homes, predominantly for local first and second time buyers and properties for rent and shared ownership, we will be looking to deliver training and job opportunities for local people. We also want to work with community organisations to help develop pride in their new neighbourhood.
“Keepmoat Homes already has a successful track record of regeneration in Barnsley with the Allegro Court development at Grimethorpe and at Tanglewood Court and Cypress Road, Kendray. We are confident that, working with our partners, we can make this project equally successful.”