Work set to start on affordable housing scheme on the Northumberland coast following £1.17m funding approval
Work is set to begin on four new affordable rental homes in Embleton following council approval of £1.17 million in funding.
Contractors are due to start work as soon as late July on the Northumberland County Council-owned brownfield site on the Greyfields Estate, where two former Swedish timber houses once stood.
The scheme will deliver a pair of two-bedroom bungalows and two two-bedroom semi-detached houses.
Cllr Wendy Pattison, local ward member, said: “We carefully examined recent housing surveys and data and know that there is a real need for additional housing of this type in the village. Embleton is a popular place to live with a low turnover of this type of property.
“This small development will breathe new life into an old brownfield site and will provide much needed affordable housing for rent and will be an important addition to our local community.”
The properties will be owned and managed by the county council and will add to the growing portfolio of affordable housing that is being developed in Northumberland.
Since 2017, 2,470 affordable homes have been built across the county and there are also an additional 1,130 affordable homes (to rent or buy) with planning permission.
The new Embleton properties will benefit from low carbon technologies such as Air Source Heat Pumps, Solar Panels and other thermal efficiencies to create homes with the best energy performance ratings.
The bungalows will also be level access to the front with widened doorways for wheelchair users and bathrooms designed as wet rooms, ensuring they are fully accessible.
Once complete, they will be listed on Northumberland Homefinder with preference given to those who have worked or lived in the parish or the adjoining parish for three years or longer and with a genuine housing need.
Cllr Colin Horncastle, cabinet member with responsibility for housing said: “This is a great scheme to create affordable housing for this coastal community.
“We want to support people to live independently in their own home for as long as possible and these adaptable bungalows have been designed to be homes for life.
“They will provide much needed accommodation for those residents with the need for level access accommodation, as well as older people looking to down-size so they too can continue to live in their local community.”
The scheme is being supported by £475,000 from Northumberland County Council's S106 Housing Developer Fund, which consists of contributions from developers in lieu of building on-site affordable housing.