A £25 million housing development in South Birmingham started on site today, despite the current economic climate. The number of homes being built in Britain has slipped to its lowest level since 1945 and plummeting construction activity is expected to lose the industry as much as 100,000 jobs.
Despite the doom and gloom, Bournville Village Trust is to build 167 new social renting and owner occupied homes on the Lower Shenley estate.
Roger Cadbury, Chairman of the Trust turned the first turf to mark the commencement of the two year contract.
All homes will be constructed to the newly introduced Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 environmental standard and recycled bricks will be crushed and used for hardcore. Quality and the environment have been key considerations in the design of the dwellings which will have low energy consumption. The properties will be highly insulated and will incorporate solar hot water systems. Materials have been sourced to meet the ‘A’ rating under the BRE’s Green Guide to Construction and water usage has been reduced by providing water butts, low flush toilets and reduced capacity baths. To reduce maintenance costs, composite aluminium has been used for windows.
Other innovative techniques will include a pioneering ‘Home Zone’ street design where people and cars share the same carriageway and pavements. Home Zones were first introduced to the Netherlands to champion safer communities by encouraging cars in residential areas to travel at less than 10mph; only slightly faster than typical walking pace.
In order to persuade residents to spend more time at the front of their homes, the Home Zone scheme aims to introduce larger areas for children to play in as well as generously proportioned gardens, typical of BVT developments, and new locations for residents to meet; all with the intention of building safer communities.
Bournville Village Trust’s multi million pound development which has received a grant from the Housing Corporation will be project managed by Turner and Townsend and built by the contractor, Kier Partnership Homes. Bigwood Chartered Surveyors and Robert Powell & Co., will handle the sale of 34 private homes on Parklands, off Shenley Lane which will range from two-bedroom flats to five-bedroom family houses.
Hitesh Champaneri at Bournville Village Trust said: “The proposals are a comprehensive approach to redevelopment and include safety features and high quality design that relate well to its context.”
Lorraine Boothroyd, Project Manager with Turner & Townsend says: “All aspects of community and shopping facilities at Shenley have already been upgraded including the extension of the car park, paving and lighting renewal to enhance the Bournville community as not only an exemplar of sustainable living but also as a place where families enjoy spending their time. Certainly Turner & Townsend is proud to be involved in such an innovative scheme in the Midlands.”
Phase One of the major redevelopment is already complete and includes fifty six new bungalows, flats and homes as well as unprecedented levels of landscaping, some public artwork and unique security lighting.
————————————————————————————————
A Selection of Country Homes, New Homes and Environmental Friendly Homes
————————————————————————————————
Filed under: News | Tagged: bbc, credit crunch, homes, houses, News, resession
