Member Article

Affordable housing scheme opened

A £3.9 million, 26-home affordable housing development for local people has been officially opened in East Yorkshire.

The opening of the Railway Housing Association scheme in Mill Rise, Swanland, near Hull, was performed by David Orr, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation (NHF).

Railway Housing Association replaced an old block of flats with a 16 modern two-bedroom apartments. The complex includes an innovative sedum (grassed) roof which helps to improve the insulation of the building, as well as reducing the surface run of rainfall.

In addition to the apartments, a further 10 two-bedroom bungalows were also built. The bungalows all have solar thermal panels that help to heat the water, which saves residents’ money on their energy bills.

Speaking at the official opening recently, David Orr, who is leading the NHF’s campaign to get the political parties to end the housing crisis within a generation, said he was honoured to be performing the opening.

“There are few things more exciting than seeing new, high quality affordable homes being built for local people,” he said.

“This scheme is an excellent example of what can be achieved when private and public bodies work together in partnership and we hope that whoever wins the General Election will take note of this model.

“After the election the new Government needs to ask itself if it can confidently deliver the 250,000 additional homes a year we need.”

Anne Rowlands, Chief Executive of Railway Housing Association, said: “We are proud to have been able to deliver 26 new, modern homes for local people.

“The homes have been built to a very high standard with a number of energy efficiency features designed to be sympathetic to the environment.”

Audrey Roe, 88, who lives in one of the apartments, said: “Many of us lived in the old apartments but our new homes are so much nicer and the bungalows that were built have only added to the lovely little community we have here.”

The total cost of the development is £3.9 million, with £1.1 million of this amount coming from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), the national housing and regeneration agency for England. The bid for grant funding was supported by East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Neil Shaefer .