WIREDGOV

Affordable housing specialist Lovell is working on a £3.8 million affordable homes scheme in partnership with Home Group, Sheffield City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency.

The development, at Wickfield Drive on the Scowerdons estate, South East Sheffield, will create 38 new homes for affordable rent, shared ownership and outright sale.

The scheme is the first phase of a major regeneration programme for the Scowerdons estate involving the creation of 550 new homes.

The Wickfield Drive properties, set to be completed in spring 2011, will achieve Level 3 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, the system for measuring the environmental performance of new housing.

The scheme is part of Sheffield’s largest regeneration project, the redevelopment of the former Scowerdons, Weakland and Newstead estates to create over 1,000 new homes.

Councillor Penny Baker, Sheffield City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and Planning, said: "It is encouraging to see a new community taking shape in this area of Sheffield, and working with our partners we have deliberately set high standards in terms of building and environmental sustainability."

Paul Oxtoby, Director of Major Projects at Home Group said: "Following extensive consultation with the local community and our partners at Lovell, Sheffield City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency, Home are pleased to see the start of the construction of this first phase, which will provide high-quality affordable homes for current and future residents."

Kate Reid, area manager at the Homes and Communities Agency said:
"It is excellent news that our funding will enable the building of these homes to ensure that people can continue to live where they want in modern affordable housing"

"We’re delighted to be working with Home Group using our expertise in new-build regeneration to help deliver these energy-efficient, high-quality homes," says Lovell regional director Noel Adams.

Media contact: Ragan Beale / Liz Coyle-Camp, E=MC2 Public Relations Tel: 01747 871752

For more information contact tom Hustler, Communications manager for Yorkshire and The Humber 0113 394 9355 / tom.hustler@hca.gsx.gov.uk

Editor’s notes:

Lovell aspires to be the UK’s number one provider of affordable housing. The company has expertise in new-build, regeneration and refurbishment while its responsive and planned maintenance business Lovell Respond provides comprehensive maintenance and estates management services. With offices in England, Scotland and Wales, Lovell offers a unique one-stop shop of services with the ability to build homes, offer a full menu of tenure options and maintenance for life. Lovell is part of Morgan Sindall Group plc, a leading UK construction and regeneration group operating through four divisions of fit out, construction and infrastructure, affordable housing and urban regeneration, and an investment unit.

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is the single, national housing and regeneration delivery agency for England. Our vision is to create opportunity for people to live in homes they can afford in places they want to live, by enabling local authorities and communities to deliver the ambition they have for their own areas.

The Fields – the bigger picture

The redevelopment of the Scowerdons site forms part of a £135 million scheme between Home, Sheffield City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency to create over 1,000 new homes on the former Scowerdons, Weakland (now Greenfields East) and Newstead sites (now Greenfields West) in south east Sheffield.

The three former estates are now being marketed as The Fields.

As well as being the largest regeneration project in Sheffield, the scheme is unique because of its Residents’ Charter. The Charter promises to make sure that a new home of the tenure of choice will be available for former residents who wish to return to the redeveloped estates.

All new homes being built at the Fields are of excellent quality and comprise flats, 2, 3 & 4 bedroom houses with private parking and turfed rear gardens. All properties incorporate the latest in energy efficient design.