Member Article

Four Housing scoops national award for Berwick scheme

North East not-for-profit housing provider Four Housing has secured a national award for its work on an innovative development in Berwick, Northumberland.

The social landlord, which is responsible for 5,000 homes throughout the North East, has received the Social Housing Development of the Year Award at the Premier Guarantee Excellence Awards for The Elizabethan, a scheme comprising 16 two bed apartments designed with the needs of older people in mind, incorporating a flexible layout and technology for the provision. Four Housing appointed North East contractor Gentoo Construction to build the new homes.

The awards have been designed to recognise the UK’s best developments covered by Premier Guarantee Structural Warranty which exceed quality and construction standards. The Elizabethan was nominated by John Flaherty, Regional Site Surveyor for Premier Guarantee, one of the UK’s leading structural warranty providers, after being impressed throughout the development process.

Mr Flaherty commented: “The Premier Guarantee Structural Warranty assesses every stage of the development process from design through to construction and completion. I was extremely impressed by the commitment and the co-operation of The Elizabethan’s project manager throughout the design and build process and where there were any challenges he headed them off at the pass.

“The quality of the build was exceptional and architecturally the development is very pleasing and a real asset to the surrounding area. The award was extremely well deserved and Premier Guarantee were delighted to present the award to Four Housing at the awards ceremony.” The £2.5 million project, on the site of a former public house which had been unoccupied for a number of years, was developed by Four Housing, working with Gentoo Construction. The site has been transformed to create spacious and light ‘future-proof’ apartments for the over 55s featuring generous internal space standards as well as balconies and outdoor areas that avoid internal corridors. Circulation spaces that encourage interaction have been incorporated to help avoid an ‘institutional feel,’ and apartments are all energy efficient.

Caryn Innes, development and regeneration manager (North) at Four Housing, said: “To be nominated for the Premier Guarantee Excellence Awards, which recognised the very best developments from right across the UK was a real honour in itself, so we’re thrilled to have been awarded Social Housing Development of the Year.

“We’re extremely proud of our work on The Elizabethan and despite being faced with a number of site constraints and construction challenges the Project Team worked well together to overcome these and deliver an exemplar scheme.”

Paul Webster, Managing Director of Gentoo Tolent, said: “We’re delighted that this project has been recognised nationally as an outstanding example of social housing, and it’s well deserved to the Four Housing and Gentoo Construction teams who worked tirelessly to make it a great success. We hope the new residents have settled in well to their new homes.”

For more information about Four Housing, visit: http://www.fourhousing.co.uk

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