First 12 months of housing programme delivers 50 new homes

Tenants of one of the new build bungalows, Mr and Mrs Richmond, pictured with (L-R) Councillor Bruce Laughton, Rebecca Rance, Jim Burman, Andrew Fearn and Chris Tutin.‏

‏The first 50 homes are now complete in Newark and Sherwood District Council’s housing development programme, with tenants moving in across the district.‏

‏As part of the programme, which is being managed and delivered by Newark and Sherwood Homes, the council has pledged to deliver 335 new homes for local people over the next five years. Working in partnership with local construction company, Woodhead Group, the new homes have been built across 21 different sites and include houses, bungalows and apartments. ‏

‏The sites completed to date have been clustered together in five different areas, including: Balderton, West Newark, Farndon, Newark and Collingham.‏

‏Councillor Bruce Laughton, Chairman Homes and Communities Committee, said: “The council is committed to a five-year programme to build 335 council homes across Newark and Sherwood and this development is an example of how we are working hard to address specific housing needs. It is fantastic to hear how this programme is helping to transform tenants’ lives for the better.”‏

‏Rebecca Rance, chief executive at Newark and Sherwood Homes, said: “We’re delighted with the progress that’s been made and we are on time, on target and on budget to deliver a total of 70 homes across 27 sites by the end of year one. We’re committed to creating homes for local people and giving opportunities for everyone to access the housing they need.”‏

‏Local tradespeople and suppliers have been used throughout the delivery of the new homes and so far the programme has created six full time jobs, provided 16 people with work experience opportunities, engaged 398 young people and delivered 48 training courses. More than 97.88% of labour and materials have been sourced from within a 40 mile radius. ‏

‏Rebecca added: “It has been important for us to ensure that there are additional social and economic benefits to the programme and it’s great to see how our partnership working has honoured this commitment. Together with our partners, we have already worked with a number of local people, suppliers and sub-contractors, as well as sharing knowledge of the construction industry with the younger community.”‏

‏All the sites are assessed and measured against targets, set out by the national accreditation body, the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS). This looks at the way a site is managed, how a workforce is looked after, how local communities are engaged in the process and how the local environment is cared for. So far the Newark and Sherwood sites have all performed above the national average, scoring an average of 37 out of 50.‏

‏Chris Tutin, Head of Commercial at Woodhead Group, said: “Working on a longer term programme such as this allows us to develop strong partnerships with our clients and the communities we work in. Being able to do this in the same district we’ve been based in as a company for the past 72 years, is even more special.‏

‏“We have always been a business focused on people. From the people who work for us, to those who move into the properties we build, we will always aim to create a better experience for all. The Newark and Sherwood programme is going incredibly well and we’ve been able to also deliver that positive social impact on the communities we’re working in. We will continue to push forward with the same momentum we started with.”‏