Member Article

Award recognises quality of Oldham housing regeneration

A building project in Oldham has won the Royal Town Planning Institute North West Planning Achievement award for 2013.

The award recognises the regeneration of the St Mary’s development site on the fringe of Oldham town centre, which had been empty for more than a decade following the demolition of flats.

Oldham Council, in partnership with Contour Homes, part of Symphony Housing Group, applied and secured Homes and Community Agency funding for a residential development.

In 2010 the Council’s planning committee approved a development with 93 dwellings - 41 shared ownership, 52 social rent - made up of two, three, four and five bedroom properties designed by Oldham based architects Nicol Thomas.

During construction, Contour Homes set up an employability programme, which included a government-funded course to help 18 to 24-year-olds into work, volunteering or training, and the creation of seven apprenticeships.

Work was finally completed in 2013 and families are now enjoying their new homes. The scheme includes 4 homes built to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 and 2 Passivhaus homes – the highest eco-standard achievable.

Councillor Dave Hibbert, Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment, said: “The St. Mary’s project has provided more than 90 new family homes for residents, all built to the highest specification and green standards.

“The homes will not only benefit the people living in them but also make a positive impact on the immediate and wider community thanks to their eye-catching design.

“During the building phase jobs were created in the supply chain and the construction industry so the development has also ensured the local economy benefited. The homes will not only benefit the people living in them but also make a positive impact on the immediate and wider community.”

Louise Marsden, Senior Project Manager at Symphony Housing Group, said: “We’re really keen to understand the benefits to our residents of this kind of sustainable building and we’re expecting to be able to realise significant savings in their energy bills in the eco-homes.

“This has been a really exciting project for Contour Homes and Symphony Housing Group, and St Mary’s provides the first example of Code 6 and Passivhaus homes on the same site in the North West.

“Partnership working has been key and the fact that we’ve been able to create such an innovative project is testament to the dedication of all involved.”

St Mary’s has also been named as one of the top 50 affordable housing developments in the country by the influential Inside Housing magazine.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .